NATIONWIDE — A significant new four-year study tracking thousands of children into their teenage years has found that access to and increased use of social media are associated with a gradual, notable erosion of their ability to concentrate.
Researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and the Oregon Health & Science University in the United States tracked the daily screen habits of 8,324 children, starting at ages 9 or 10 and continuing until age 14. This research sought to determine whether the surge in digital consumption over the last 15 years is linked to the simultaneous rise in ADHD diagnoses observed in Sweden and other countries.
The study tracked children’s time spent on various digital activities, including scrolling on social platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and Messenger) and playing video games or watching television.
The most striking finding was that the decline in attention levels and increase in “inattention symptoms” occurred specifically among those children who spent a “significant” amount of time using social media.
Crucially, the researchers noted that the same pattern did not emerge for children whose screen time was primarily spent on watching television or playing video games.
“Our study suggests that it is specifically social media that affects children’s ability to concentrate,” said Professor Torkel Klingberg, of the Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Neuroscience.
Professor Klingberg explained that the constant stream of notifications and messages inherent to social media creates an environment of “constant distractions,” which affects the ability to stay focused.
Use Leads to Symptoms, Not Vice Versa
The team emphasized that the findings were robust and were not influenced by factors like socioeconomic background or a genetic predisposition for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Furthermore, the study addressed the question of causality, finding that children who already had symptoms of inattentiveness did not increase their use of social media. This suggests that the association flows from social media use to the symptoms of inattention, and not the other way around.
While the study found no link between social media use and an increase in hyperactive or impulsive behavior, Professor Klingberg suggested that the impact on concentration remains a concern.
“Greater consumption of social media might explain part of the increase we’re seeing in ADHD diagnoses, even if ADHD is also associated with hyperactivity, which didn’t increase in our study,” he added.
Population-Level Impact and Policy Discussion
At the individual level, the effect on concentration was characterized as small. However, the authors warned that at a population level, this gradual decline in attention “could have a significant impact.”
The research highlights a potential conflict between usage and age restrictions. The average time children spent on social media platforms grew substantially during the study period:
- 9-year-olds: Approximately 30 minutes a day
- 13-year-olds: Approximately 2.5 hours a day
This increase occurs even though many major platforms set their minimum age requirement at 13.
Samson Nivins, the study’s first author, expressed hope that the findings would spur informed policy discussions. “We hope that our findings will help parents and policymakers make well-informed decisions on healthy digital consumption that support children’s cognitive development,” Nivins said.
The research is published in the journal Pediatrics Open Science, and the team plans to continue following the children to track the long-term association beyond age 14.
