A new international study has found that frequent social media use may hinder children’s concentration and contribute to increased ADHD-related behaviours. The research, carried out by teams at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Oregon Health & Science University in the U.S., examined how digital habits influence the attention span of young adolescents aged 10 to 14.
Study Overview
Previous concerns about the unchecked use of social platforms by children include reduced attention span and weaker short-term memory. This latest study strengthens those concerns by exploring a direct relationship between social media habits and symptoms similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Researchers analysed data from the ongoing Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, which monitors thousands of children annually. More than 8,300 participants were included, with an average starting age of roughly 10 years. Using the Youth Screen Time Survey, the children reported the amount of time they spent on social media, video games, and television.
Key Findings
The study observed that children who spent significant time on social apps—such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and Messenger—gradually developed more symptoms associated with inattention. Interestingly, this trend did not appear in children who primarily watched TV or played video games.
“Our study suggests that it is specifically social media that affects children’s ability to concentrate,” said Torkel Klingberg, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet. He further explained, “Social media entails constant distractions in the form of messages and notifications, and the mere thought of whether a message has arrived can act as a mental distraction. This affects the ability to stay focused and could explain the association.”
Conclusion
The researchers noted a sharp rise in time spent on social platforms—from about 30 minutes daily at age nine to approximately 2.5 hours a day by age thirteen, even though many platforms require users to be at least 13 years old. The study concluded that increased use of social media is linked to a steady rise in inattention symptoms as children grow older.