Nearly 15 percent of Shanghai's teenagers are addicted to computers, especially online games, according to a survey conducted by a Shanghai-based cyber addiction rectification center.

Released at the ongoing China psychological development seminar in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the survey shows that there are high incidence of cyber addiction among grade one students of junior middle schools.

The center's director Guo Tiejun said that the random survey is based on 2,125 students from 34 middle schools, with eight senior middle schools, eight vocational schools, and 18 junior middle schools.

Guo said cyber addiction refers to a trance-like state caused by the overuse of computers, which has obvious negative effects on the psychological and physical development of teenagers.

The survey also shows that boys are more easily addicted to computers than girls.

Guo suggests strengthening education of teenagers in junior middle schools, which will help reduce the incidences of cyber addiction.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2006)