Study Links Children’s Social Media Use to Rising Inattention Symptoms

Study Links Children’s Social Media Use to Rising Inattention Symptoms
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A new peer-reviewed study suggests that increased social media use among children may be affecting their concentration and contributing to a rise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, The Guardian reported. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Oregon Health & Science University tracked more than 8,300 children in the United States from ages 10 to 14.

They found that while time spent watching television, online videos or playing video games showed no connection to ADHD-related behaviours, social media use over time was linked to a measurable increase in inattention symptoms. Children in the study averaged 1.4 hours per day on social media, alongside 2.3 hours watching videos and 1.5 hours gaming.

The researchers said the constant stream of notifications and messages may disrupt focus, with cognitive neuroscience professor Torkel Klingberg noting that even anticipating a message can act as a distraction. The study found the association was not influenced by socioeconomic factors or genetic predisposition.

Researchers also pointed to rising ADHD diagnoses in the U.S., increasing from 9.5% in 2003–07 to 11.3% in 2020–22. The report highlighted growing early social media use among children and urged stronger age verification and clearer platform guidelines.