THE CONSUMPTION OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT MORE THAN 4 HOURS/DAY, IN THE CHILDREN BETWEEN 0-3 YEARS OLD, CAN CAUSE A SYNDROME SIMILAR WITH THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER Cover Image

THE CONSUMPTION OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT MORE THAN 4 HOURS/DAY, IN THE CHILDREN BETWEEN 0-3 YEARS OLD, CAN CAUSE A SYNDROME SIMILAR WITH THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
THE CONSUMPTION OF VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT MORE THAN 4 HOURS/DAY, IN THE CHILDREN BETWEEN 0-3 YEARS OLD, CAN CAUSE A SYNDROME SIMILAR WITH THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Author(s): Marius Teodor Zamfir
Subject(s): Psychology, Media studies, Present Times (2010 - today)
Published by: Editura Arhipelag XXI
Keywords: virtual autism; virtual environment; TV; ASD; screen-time;

Summary/Abstract: This survey describes the incidence of the excessive consumption of virtual environment in children recently diagnosed with ASD, between 2012-2017, in two specialized rehabilitation centres. The survey was conducted longitudinally, following the progress in the therapeutic process, by measuring QD/IQ in 62 children with autism, in Romania. The analysis compared two groups who presented or not a consumption of more than 4 hours/day of virtual environment in their anamnesis history, between 0-3 years old. The results of the survey are the following: children diagnosed with ASD who had an anamnesis history of excessive consumption of virtual environment, between 0 – 3 years old have recorded QD/IQ higher by 37%, between the first and the second complex psychological evaluation, while resources used were three times lower compared to the control group. This suggests that sensory-motor and socio-affective deprivation caused by the consumption of more than 4 hours/day of virtual environment can activate behaviours and elements similar to those found in children diagnosed with ASD. Following our survey, we defined this form of autism: Virtual Autism.

  • Issue Year: 2018
  • Issue No: 13
  • Page Range: 953-968
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: English