Dr Jacek Karaś from the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz comments on the topic.
What is digital autism?
Research has long shown that excessive use of digital devices can lead to negative consequences for a person's physical, mental, social and emotional development. This has resulted not only in an increase in the number of people addicted to the internet (an example symptom is long hours of unconscious web browsing), social media or technology (e.g., a lack of control over the need to continuously use a smartphone), but also in a decline in social competences and the so-called soft skills among technology users.
The mere use of technology isn't problematic. However, what happens when technology begins to dominate life, even truly influencing behaviour and leaving a mark on the psyche, especially in the youngest? Children exposed to screens in early childhood experience language delays, attention deficits, sleep disturbances and difficulties with social relationships. This set of symptoms is increasingly being called digital autism, not because of its similar origins on the autism spectrum, but because of the similarities in some behaviours.
Digital autism and the autism spectrum
Let's focus for a moment on the "classic" autism spectrum. It has a neurobiological basis and encompasses comprehensive differences in social behaviour and cognition, impacting a person's mental and perceptual abilities.
In the case of digital autism, the focus in the search for causes shifts toward environmental and behavioural factors. Digital autism refers to developmental deficits resulting from excessive use of digital devices, not the use of technology itself. Recent research seems to confirm that excessive exposure to digital devices, especially among young children, can lead to behaviours similar to those characteristics of autism spectrum disorder.
It is precisely because of these similarities that they are called digital (or virtual) autism, although they have little in common with the so-called autism spectrum, because – as mentioned – their cause is different. Why?
Because, unlike autism spectrum disorder, digital autism is not caused by neurobiological conditions, but by excessive exposure to digital technologies. In the case of digital autism, the problem is neurodevelopmental deficits that arise from overuse of technology. However, due to certain similarities in symptoms, the term digital autism has been adopted. At the same time, digital autism should not be equated with internet or cell phone addiction—these are distinct issues.
Digital Childhood: Researchers Sound the Alarm
Excessive time spent on digital devices can lead to developmental delays, including language delays, attention deficits, hyperactivity, sleep disturbances and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Research conducted in China [1] indicates that passively watching television and movies for just 1-2 hours a day can significantly disrupt neurotypical child development. However, this is not a local problem. Research from Romania [2] confirms that sensory-motor and socio-affective deprivation caused by prolonged (over 4 hours) daily use of digital devices by children in their early years (0-3 years) can trigger behaviours and symptoms similar to those observed in children with autism spectrum disorder. Although neither case clearly proves a cause-and-effect relationship, the research findings are concerning, and the potential consequences are serious. Sensory-motor deprivation and limited social interaction in the first years of life can significantly impact a child's development, particularly in the areas of speech, emotions and relationships with the environment.
Is all technology harmful and leads to digital autism?
The answer is no. Not all forms of exposure to technology carry the same risks. However, this doesn't mean that excessive use of some technologies is healthy and not others.
The key risk factors are the intensity, duration of exposure and the child's age. Digital autism spectrum disorder (DAD) results from excessive exposure to light emitted by computer, tablet and mobile phone screens. In short, this light can disrupt natural biochemical processes in the brain, including melatonin production, which impacts brain development and function.
However, it should be remembered that inappropriate (e.g. age-related) use of any technology may lead to problems; only the area of their occurrence and the degree of severity will differ (e.g. behavioural problems, problems with the ability to concentrate and maintain attention, etc.).
What symptoms might suggest digital autism?
To put it simply, these are all the symptoms associated with technology overuse: poorer well-being, impulsivity and hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating and sustaining attention, reduced creativity and motivation, reduced cognitive skills, withdrawal from social interactions, sleep problems and more. If these symptoms are "typical," then the way to deal with this problem is also "well known." The preventive measures most frequently mentioned in this context by technology specialists and psychologists include, above all, maintaining basic principles of digital hygiene and returning to the so-called healthy lifestyle, i.e., greater contact with nature, encouraging greater physical activity and developing interpersonal relationships in the real world, establishing stricter rules for using computers and smartphones (especially in the evening and before bed), and educating both children, adolescents and adults. All of this can help us reach a point where the virtual world ceases to be so appealing to us. Indeed, the digital world can be useful and inspiring, as long as we control it, rather than it controlling us.
Footnotes:
1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02568543.2019.1702600
2. https://psihologmariuszamfir.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/JRlS-13.2018-C1.pdf
Author: Dr Jacek Karaś, Department of Applied Computer Science
Dr Jacek Karaś is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz. He teaches courses related to the use of technology in management and managing technological change in organisations. He also conducts research on digital well-being and the perception of technology.
