By Victoria Cruz
News Writer
On April 7, the university hosted Dr. Marc Potenza, a professor in the Child Study Center and Neuroscience at the Yale School of Medicine.
Problematic Usage of Digital Technologies: Addictive Behaviors Involving Gambling, Gaming, Pornography and Social Media aimed to equip young people with the skills necessary to navigate an increasingly digital world responsibly.
“I never realized how much algorithms shape our behavior, and it’s honestly scary to think about how it affects our brains in ways we may not understand yet,” biology major Craig Huydic, a senior, said.
Digital technologies have become embedded in our everyday lives. While they enhance communication, productivity and entertainment, they also present risks for what is increasingly referred to as problematic usage of the internet.
PUI includes gaming, gambling, social media and pornography, which may share underlying features of impaired impulse control and motivation.
A major focus of the presentation was the link between digital use and youth behavioral health.
Concerns are being raised as externalizing behaviors like aggression are on the rise, as well as internalizing issues like anxiety and depression.
These patterns are being observed through sleep disturbances, including difficulty maintaining and going to sleep. They act as compounding factors with PUI throughout childhood and adolescence.
Media plays a major role in establishing these patterns. Intensive time spent online, especially during teenage years is detrimental due to rapid brain development.
Since motivational systems develop faster than the prefrontal cortex, people at this stage are more likely to take risks.
Digital engagement is at an all-time high among youth. Data presented from the Pew Research Center identified that 46% of teenagers report being online constantly. Platforms like YouTube, Tik Tok, Snapchat and Instagram are commonly used.
Potenza emphasized that psychological tension is often created by these platforms, causing connection versus loneliness, engagement versus fear of missing out, and authenticity versus idealized self-presentation.
Other concerns were raised about unrestricted access and exposure to inappropriate content online. As director of multiple research initiatives at Yale focused on addictions and impulse control disorders, Potenza shed light on how modern digital environments are shaping youth development and outcomes.
Problematic usage varies across different demographics.
According to research on internet gaming disorder and social media addiction, extensive findings reveal that females are more prone to problems with social media use, while internet gaming is more common among males.
Potenza also discussed the various classifications of behavioral addictions. Gaming disorder has been included in ICD-11 as a clinical condition. This addition has been met with resistance from the gaming industry.
With sports betting increasing in popularity, some states have been prompted to create support services and propose regulations.
“As a public health major, it’s become striking how under-researched these topics are considering how damaging they are. We still have a long way to go,” public health major Natalia Gillner, a junior, said.
While digital tools offer clear benefits, the talk emphasizes a need to balance access with protections.
