Is Tech Different for Kids with Neurodivergence? (Part 2)

Part 2:  What’s Good about Tech Use by our Neurodivergent Kids?  

As a follow-up to our last blog post (Part 1: New Technology Guidelines for Kids), I want to share both sides of the debate about limiting vs. managing screens for our kids. 

As a play therapist and child/teen therapist of 25 years, I, too, uphold Haidt’s suggestions to bolster good development among kids.  It’s great when parents can offer kids the opportunity for group play rather than solo screen usage, supportive communities rather than social isolation, dumbphones rather than smartphones (for as long as possible), and little to no access to social media through middle school.  

You might recall my plea to recognize that many parents struggling to implement sound technology standards in their homes are GOOD Parents! These parents face the moral dilemma of executing family plans that don’t fit with the reality of their tech-heavy lives.  So what’s the answer?  Do we limit access/use?  Or, do we learn to manage access/use? Or are there other alternatives left undiscovered?

Overall, the research concludes what most of us know regarding the direct outcome of too much or too early screen time. It’s not good—for kids, mental health, sleep, or general health.  It presents associated adverse effects, which we should all listen to. Yet, it doesn’t make clear the exact causal factors of screen time on youth functioning.   

Pete Etchells argues this point in his book Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and How to Spend It Better), which paints a much more positive picture of technology for kids (https://www.wired.com/story/pete-etchells-jonathan-haidt-smartphones/). He still warns us about some adverse effects of screens on youth mental health, yet he asks parents to take a reflective rather than an aggressive or abstinence approach about how they manage screens with their kids.  Pete Etchell notes some anecdotal evidence that some users employ video games as a coping tool, which he did to recover from his father’s death.  

Another writer, Jane McGonigal delved into the research around gaming after her own experience with a head injury, which she recounts in her book, Super Better: The Power of Living Gamefully (https://superbetter.com/our-story/). Jane cites fascinating research on how much video gaming is harmful (> 21 hours weekly), various benefits of gaming (increased dopamine levels that increase motivation and aid self-efficacy), the use of specific games for focused goal attainment, and the critical point that gaming can be “gameful,” or helpful, sometimes.  She notes that it is essential for any gamer to be clear about why they are gaming, what benefits they seek, and how they are gaming (in solitude, to retreat or for fun/gain,  mindless vs purposeful, etc).  She gives some specific suggestions on how players can be more “gameful,” by drawing on four core strengths—the ability to control attention (thoughts and feelings), the skills to turn relationships (live and virtual), natural ability for self-motivation, and ability to play with a purpose.  McGonigal is writing these tactics for adult gamers as opposed to youth playing video games, yet parents can keep these suggestions in mind as they help their kids manage their game time.  

While McGonigal mostly writes about gaming, many researchers and professionals specialize in using technology to support skill development in neurodivergent persons and people with ASD and developmental disabilities (see references below). In short, they assert some positive benefits of technology use for these kids. 

Dr. Randy Kulman is a practitioner who treats neurodivergent kids and a proponent of neurotechnology for youth with ADHD (www.learningworksforkids.com). He cites 2007/2008 research that supports an increased processing speed, improved working memory, etc., for kids who participate in “engamement,” which is his term for healthy gaming. He argues that social media vs. gaming is problematic for the following reasons: it provides variable feedback, so it is uber-reinforcing, and it is portable, so it is always with your child.

Dr. Kulman offers the following limits for screen time.  

• Kids–1 hr daily is healthy. 
• >2-3 hrs daily may not be problematic if doing their “stuff” (school, friends, physical activity, sleep, family).
• 3 hrs daily or more  is risky/unhealthy

He notes that there is a higher risk of “problematic use” (vs addiction) for kids with ADHD (3-8% incidence overall). He also gives a formula for parents to help their kids use social media more effectively in his talk, How to Make Screen Time Productive for Your Child (see compilation of suggestions below). 

However, when it comes to neurodiverse (ND) youth, it is worth noting that these youth are more prone to gaming addiction because they are living in a world that is not designed to help them succeed. The real world offers scenarios where it becomes difficult for them to grow socially, emotionally, and academically. 70% of people with ADHD will develop depression. 3% of people with depression will develop ADHD (Dr. Alok Kanojia, March 12, 2024 episode on TilT Parenting Podcast)   

Conversely, many specialists involved in the care of persons with Autism or ADHD rely on neurotechnology to help their patients with skill development. For some youth, technology can help to increase their understanding of social/environmental surroundings, practice social relatedness skills, improve their ability to express themselves better, grow their self-esteem, increase organizational/motivational skills, and bolster their functioning to make them more independent. 

Again, do you notice a big gap between what we know and what we don’t know? We can glean from the research out there that technology (especially gaming over 3+ hours daily, or social media access at too young an age) can relate to negative symptoms for kids with neurodivergence.  We can note that kids with ADHD and ASD (Autism) are more prone to these negative consequences. We can also acknowledge that some specific kinds of neurotechnology hold benefits for kids on the spectrum of ADHD, ASD, and neurodivergence.  Yet, how do parents deal with the knowledge gap? Yes, we realize there is more risk of harm from technology use for our uniquely wired children.  No, we don’t understand all the tools and potential benefits of certain types of technology for our differently-wired children.  And, we are left with a lot of uncertainty, fear, and judgment about managing screens for our kids.

Stay tuned in the next post to see a wrap-up summary of this series: Is Tech Different for Kids with Neurodivergence?