Too Much Screen Time Can Threaten Attention Span

Too much time spent watching television and playing video games can double the risk of attention problems in children and young adults, new research finds. The study is the latest of many to point out the ill effects of excessive screen time, whether at the computer or the television.

Researcher Edward Swing, a graduate student at Iowa State University, compared participants who watched TV or played video games less than two hours a day—the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics for children aged 2 and older—to those who watched more. “Those who exceeded the AAP recommendation were about 1.6 times to 2.2 times more likely to have greater than average attention problems,” he said.

Middle school students spent an average of 4.26 hours a day watching TV or playing video games, the study found, while older students spent 4.82 hours daily. Previous studies have also linked screen time with attention problems.

“This is an important finding,” according to Dr. Dimitri Christakis, the George Adkins Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington in Seattle. He, too, has researched the topic. “ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) is 10 times more common today than it was 20 years ago,” he said. “Although it is clear that ADHD has a genetic basis, given that our genes have not changed appreciably in that timeframe, it is likely that there are environmental factors that are contributing to this rise.” He and other experts suspect excessive media as a contributor.