Internet Addiction in Children and Adolescents

This book addresses the new concerns people have about children who have early and easy access to the Internet and digital technologies. The chapters address a variety of components of virtual experiences from sexting to distracted driving to the impact of autism on Internet addiction in children, resulting in what are possibly the most comprehensive reference and guidance materials today. The book identifies signs of problem Internet behavior among children, even at the earliest ages. It addresses the psychological, social, and family conditions for those most at risk and how to combat the use of technology that replaces important face-to-face social relationships. The first section of the book talks about the risk factors such as problematic and risky media use, smartphone addiction, narcissism, sexting, and internet and gaming addiction, and the impact of the risk factors. The last chapter in this section discusses parental mental health and internet addiction in adolescents. Prevention and treatment of the internet addiction are dealt with in the second section of the book. This covers issues such as preventing teen drivers and digital distractions, electronic screen syndrome, and initiatives such as the IMPROVE tool to assist families and clinicians, and the Family, Integrated Treatment, Social Connection–Internet Addiction (FITSC-IA) for treating adolescent internet addiction. The book ends with a chapter on maintaining student cyberhealth by discussing the concept of screen smart schools.