A plea to screen for IAD as mother charged with infantcide

by | Newsworthy Tech Addiction Trends

The 26 year-old Korean woman who allegedly killed her newborn baby and dumped it in a nearby parking lot on March 25, 2012 in Seoul Korea spent nearly every day playing video games in a local Internet cafe according to a recent article in the Herald Sun.
 
This type of infantcide might have been prevented if primary care practitioners had screened for problematic technology use. A short 7-item screen administered by a nurse practitioner or this women’s OBGYN might have alerted professionals to a possible gaming addiction, and/or an underlying mental health condition, whereupon a referral could have been made to get this young woman some help. Instead, she now faces charges for allegedly killing her own child.
 
Details as to whether the woman returned to gaming immediately after discarding her infant child are unknown.
 
Use the following screening tool if you suspect someone you care about is suffering from problematic digital technology use.
 

Internet and Gaming Abuse Screen

  1. How important is it to you to spend time video gaming or on the Internet?
  2. Do you ever use video gaming or the Internet to relax, feel better about yourself or fit in?
  3. Do your family or friends ever tell you that you should cut down on your Internet or gaming use?
  4. Has anyone (parent, teacher, spouse or friend) ever thought you had a problem with the Internet or gaming?
  5. Does video gaming or Internet use cause your moods to change quickly, from happy to sad or visa versa?
  6. Does your video gaming or Internet use ever make you do something that you would not normally do, like breaking rules, missing curfew, breaking the law or having sex with someone?
  7. Have you ever tried to cut down the amount of time spent on the Internet or video gaming?

If you, our someone you know has a problem with digital technology, call our 24-hour crisis line.

 
 
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