The effect of digital parental awareness and somatic symptoms on problematic media use in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Background: Children diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have greater difficulty in regulating their own media usage and are inclined to spend more time engaging in video games compared to neurotypical children. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ADHD severity, digital parenting awareness, and accompanying psychiatric symptoms on children's problematic media (PMU) use in children with ADHD.

Methods: The study included 95 ADHD patients aged between 6 and 11 years and 90 age-and gender-matched healthy controls. The Problematic Media Use Measure-Short form (PMUM-SF), Child Behavior Checklist (6-18 years) (CBCL-6/18), Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised Short (CPRS-RS), and Digital Parental Awareness Scale (DPAS) were administered to all parents.

Results: Daily screen time was 183.56 ± 84.77 min in the ADHD group and 117.47 ± 49.08 min in the control group (p < 0.001), and PMUM-SF scores were higher in children with ADHD (p < 0.001). Comorbid internalizing and externalizing problems were positively associated with PMU. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that ADHD severity, somatic complaints in children, negative media role modeling by mothers, and neglect of children's media use were associated with increased PMU in children (p < 0.001, Adjusted R² = 0.520).

Conclusion: PMU in children with ADHD can be better managed by raising parents' awareness of the adverse effects of digital media within prevention and treatment interventions. Moreover, since comorbid ADHD and somatic symptoms may affect PMU, the severity of somatic complaints should be evaluated within the scope of treatment programs.