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Internet gaming disorder (IGD) & smartphone overuse in Australian primary secondary school children: prevalence and developmental impacts
 

2025
 

Sample: 1,993 Australian children aged 10-14 yrs old.

Key Findings: 

• Primary school aged children spend an average of 6.34 hours on screens each day.

• For secondary school aged teens, this increases to an average of 9.03 hours per day.

• Children with sub-clinical or clinical levels of smartphone overuse reported significantly higher total developmental impacts compared to children with normal phone use.

• This was true to intrenet gaming overuse also, particularly in social and emotional development and behavioural impacts.​

Nighttime Phone Use and Past Exposure to Cyberbullying and Their Impact on Sleep and Psychological Wellbeing 

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2024

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Sample: 53,734 students from all states, aged 7-19 years old.

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Key Findings:

• Nighttime phone use predicts both psychological distress and reduced sleep (<8hrs).

• Being cyberbullied also predicts these two outcomes.

• Of children who experience cyberbullying, those who access their phone at night may experience greater impact on their sleep and psychological wellbeing.
   

RCH National Child Health Poll

2021

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Sample: 1,980 Australian parents of children aged 0-18 years.

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Key Findings:

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• The number one health concern for parents is excessive screen time with more than 90% of parents reporting it was a big problem or somewhat of a problem in the community.

• Cyberbullying and bullying (53%) was the second top health concern parents have for all children.

• Internet safety (52%) was the third top concern that parents have.

Growing Up Digital Australia:

Phase 1

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2020

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Sample: 1,876 Australian teachers and principals.

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Key Findings:

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• 84% of teachers see digital technologies being a growing distraction in the learning environment.

• 78% of teachers say students’ ability to focus on educational tasks has decreased.

• 60% see positive impacts for students with disabilities.

• 59% observed a decline in students’ overall readiness to learn in the last 3–5 years.