Children who spend an excessive amount of time on social media may experience a gradual decline in their ability to concentrate. This is according to a comprehensive study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Pediatrics Open Science, which followed more than 8,000 children from around age 10 through age 14.
The rise of screens and digital media has been staggering over the past 15 years, coinciding with an increase in ADHD diagnoses. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Oregon Health & Science University in the USA have now investigated a possible link between screen habits and ADHD-related symptoms. The study followed 8,324 children aged 9-10 in the USA for four years, with the children reporting how much time they spent on social media, watching TV/videos, and playing video games, as well as their parents assessing their levels of attention and hyperactivity/impulsiveness.
The AI Connection
Social media usage stands out as a significant factor affecting children's ability to concentrate. The constant distractions in the form of messages and notifications can act as mental distractions, making it challenging for children to stay focused. This could explain why social media use is linked to attention difficulties.
The study found that children who spent more time on social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, or Messenger developed inattention symptoms over time. However, there was no association with watching television or playing video games.
Population-Level Impact
The researchers discovered that the association between social media use and attention difficulties was not influenced by socioeconomic background or a genetic predisposition towards ADHD. Additionally, children who already had symptoms of inattentiveness did not start to use social media more, suggesting that the association leads from social media use to symptoms, rather than vice versa.
While the effect on concentration was small at the individual level, it could have a significant impact at a population level. "Greater consumption of social media might explain part of the increase we're seeing in ADHD diagnoses," says Professor Klingberg.
Healthy Digital Consumption
The researchers emphasize that their findings do not imply that all children who use social media develop concentration difficulties. However, there is reason to discuss age limits and platform design. In the study, the average time spent on social media rose from approximately 30 minutes a day for 9-year-olds to 2.5 hours for 13-year-olds, despite many platforms setting their minimum age requirement at 13.
"We hope that our findings will help parents and policymakers make well-informed decisions on healthy digital consumption that support children's cognitive development," says the study's first author Samson Nivins.
The researchers now plan to follow the children after the age of 14 to see if this association holds. The study was financed by the Swedish Research Council and the Masonic Home for Children in Stockholm Foundation, with no reported conflicts of interest.