Even though the health community hasn’t officially decided if Internet addiction is actually addiction, CNN.com reports that teens with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Depression are more likely to become Internet addicts.

The study surveyed over 2,000 teens in Taiwan, and found that teens with depression, social phobias, and ADHD, were more likely to spend more hours playing online games or on social networks.

Michael Gilbert, a senior fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication, was not surprised with the findings and said that kids with ADHD would naturally gravitate towards the fast pace of online gaming or social networking. He also added that it would be natural for a child suffering from depression to be more interested in taking on a new identity afforded by an avatar or online persona.

Though the jury is still out on whether or not the Internet poses a legitimate “addiction” threat, this report does serve as a reminder to parents of children with these conditions that they need to be extra-vigilant about their child’s online activities.

Filed under: Internet Safety News