Queensland in world-first study to address problematic internet use

It’s been revealed almost 25 per cent of all young people are affected by problematic use of the internet as Queensland scientists join the world’s largest international study into how social media affects our youth.

Queensland scientists are part of the world’s largest international study into problematic internet use in young people, including excessive social networking, gaming, gambling, shopping, pornography viewing and cyber-bullying.

QIMR Berghofer is the only Australian participant in the five-year European-based project dubbed BootStRaP.

The study will recruit 10,000 teenagers and use artificial intelligence to help monitor their internet use to determine safe limits and address mental-health issues caused by too much time online.

QIMR Berghofer’s lead researcher on the project, Professor Murat Yucel, said BootStRaP said almost 25 per cent of all young people were affected by problematic use of the internet.

Almost 25 per cent of all young people are affected by problematic use of the internet, says QIMR Berghofer’s lead researcher on the project, Professor Murat Yucel.

This comes as Queensland acting chief health officer Catherine McDougall said social media access for children was causing great distress, leading to a rise in hospital admissions.

“We are seeing increased admissions into the hospital for self-harm, particularly young girls aged 10 to 14,” she said.

“One of the potential causes around this could be attributed to unrestricted social media.”

And the impact on mental health has led to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas investigating bringing in laws to ban children under 14 from holding social media accounts and for parental consent to be given for children who are 14 and 15.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Morgan Sette

Queensland acting chief medical officer Catherine McDougall. Picture: Steve Pohlner

QIMR researchers report that problematic internet use is associated with depression, anxiety, loneliness and body dysmorphia.

“Clearly, internet use has become a fundamental part of modern life and it’s unrealistic to completely avoid it,” Professor Yucel said.

“Instead, we are focusing on empowering young people to manage their digital habits effectively and maintain balanced internet use in their daily lives.”

Professor Yucel said QIMR Berghofer was a world leader in mechanistic brain testing, which was crucial to investigate the cognitive and brain mechanisms driving the problematic behaviour.

By pinpointing the specific neurocognitive mechanisms involved, scientists would be able to identify adolescents at risk of excessive use and design targeted prevention strategies.

“The project scientists are eager to help young people, parents, guardians, teachers, and healthcare professionals in identifying risks and understanding how they may lead to harm or poor health,” Professor Yucel said.

BootStRaP project leader, Professor Naomi Fineberg at the University of Hertfordshire in England, said there was currently no reliable scientific evidence on problematic internet use.