Addiction Recovery

Child Welfare League Committee recently published a report that shows nearly 40 percent of students from fifth grade to eighth grade show symptoms of cell phone addiction.

4,269 samples were collected from 19 countries and cities in May of this past year. Of those samples, approximately 37 percent revealed that students check their cell phones first thing in the morning. Approximately 10 percent of students admitted to using their cell phones during class lessons. 26 percent of students use their cell phones during their commute to school. After school, 21 percent of surveyed students admitted to using their cell phone past 11pm.

Surprisingly, out of the surveyed teens, 45 percent of them admitted that they thought they use their cell phone too much; close to 40 percent showed symptoms of actual cell phone addiction.

In a land dominated by technology, nearly half of all fifth and sixth graders frequently use cellphones. Additionally, 69 percent of all seventh graders have cellphones, and 71 percent of all eighth graders have cell phones. Cellphone use among 12-year-olds stands at 56 percent in the US.

The study also observed Taiwanese children in various urban areas. Cellphone use among Taiwanese children grew 22 percent, compared with six years ago. Cellphone use in Taiwan is higher than China and Japan. In China, only 46 percent of the population from ages 10-18 uses cellphones. In Japan, only 45 percent of all 14-year-olds have cellphones.

However, close to 60 percent of all Taiwanese children only use their cellphone for less than five minutes per day.

The report stated that most teenagers use their cellphones for other activities, such as texting, listening to music, watching videos and surfing the Web.

Alicia Wang, Child Welfare League Committee executive director, advises parents not to spend too much money on cellphones, especially smartphones, for their kids. Wang insists that parents only allow their children phones with basic feature functions, and even then, don't allow small children to own a cellphone.

Perhaps one reason why cell phone addiction is rising is because of how easy it is to obtain a phone. Most companies offer free cell phones with a new 2-year contract.