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Digital media use associated with ADHD symptom development among adolescents
Clinical Question
Is frequent use of digital media associated with the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in high school students?
Bottom line
High school students who reported a high frequency (many times per day) of digital media use (eg, social networking, streaming movies or music, texting) were significantly more likely to self-report symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) over 2 years of follow-up (10% higher symptom reporting rate). It remains uncertain whether the association is causal and whether efforts to reduce exposure can result in less symptom development. 1b
Reference
Study design: Cohort (prospective)
Funding: Government
Setting: Population-based
Synopsis
These investigators analyzed data obtained from a longitudinal cohort survey of adolescents enrolled in 10 high schools in the Los Angeles, California, area. Beginning in the fall of 10th grade, eligible students (n = 2587) initially classified as not having ADHD symptoms based on a previously validated evaluation tool, provided follow-up self-reported symptom scores at 6, 18, and 24 months. At baseline and at 12 and 24 months students also indicated how frequently they engaged in various digital media activities in the past week (0, 1 - 2 times per week, 1 - 2 times per day, or many times per day). The authors performed various analyses to address potential confounders, including age, sex, family income, history of delinquent behavior, race/ethnicity, depressive symptoms, substance use, and family history of substance use. More than half (54.1%) of the students reported high frequency of checking social media, which was the most common media activity. High frequency engagement in digital media activity at baseline was significantly associated with a higher odds of reporting symptoms of ADHD at follow-up (odds ratio 1.10; 95% CI 1.05 - 1.15). In addition, the mean rate of having ADHD symptoms at follow-up was significantly increased among the 51 students who reported 14 high-frequency media use activities and the 114 students who reported 7 high-frequency media use activities at baseline compared with the 495 students who reported no high-frequency media use over the preceding week (10.5% and 9.5% vs 4.6%, respectively).
Reviewer
David C. Slawson, MD
Professor and Vice Chair of Family Medicine for Education and Scholarship
Atrium Health
Professor of Family Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill
Charlotte, NC
Comments
I would like to have the following questions answered in the next study: (1) is the self reporting associated with other finding like increased school absentism or /and decreased academic performance? (2) does the reporting of AdHd revert back to normal with the cessation of high frequency use of digital media?
we need evidence-based interventions, not just more evidence on the dangers of screen use for kids
Also would be interesting to know if these study participants had overall lower educational attainment going forward, and if the symptoms depend upon any pre-existing risk factors that were not accounted for in the study. (I.e. why did only a sub-population develop the symptoms and not all or more of them.)
ADHD may a cause, not a result of social media.
Social media is detrimental to adolescence if unsupervised and monitored.
More scientific info needed.But we need to be cautious,nne the less.
More information needed
Good poem
Cause or effect?
I suspect the ADHD is pre-existing. Can't imagine it "developing" from social media use at this age?
The question of what is the cause of the effect of the frequent use of digital media is interesting. In my experience, the ADHD or ADHD-like behaviour of propensity likely precedes the frequency of use of digital media, rather than the reverse.
The item is useful in providing advice to nervous parents and in validating or working with teens to motivate them to decrease the use of digital media.
It is known that patients with ADHD seek stimulation from screen activities more often ( not sure about accuracy of ruling out this condition in this study).
Also - constant exposure to media, the notifications, pop ups etc are known to increase anxiety which can overlap with symptoms of ADHD. In any case I will always recommend that the teens are not on the screen for pleasure ( not study) more than 2 hours daily.