The impact of social media on teenagers is no longer solely determined by the number of hours spent using it, but also by how it is used. A recent study revealed that addictive use of these platforms may be linked to a worsening of ADHD symptoms, particularly in boys, highlighting its potential effects on mental health.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and published in the journal JAMA Network Open, followed more than 11,000 American teenagers for five years, from ages 12 to 16, to examine the relationship between social media use and the development of ADHD symptoms.
The results showed that, about a year later, indicators of addictive social media use preceded an increase in ADHD symptoms, especially among boys. However, the study did not find conclusive evidence that having ADHD directly leads to addictive use.
The study’s lead researcher, Jason Nagata, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, explained that while the study doesn’t definitively prove a causal relationship, it provides strong evidence that addictive use often precedes the worsening of symptoms of the disorder.
The researchers pointed out that addictive use isn’t measured solely by the number of hours spent, but also by a loss of control over platform use, constant preoccupation with them, difficulty stopping despite wanting to, and negative impacts on sleep, academic performance, and social relationships.
The study data revealed that 23% of 12-year-old participants reported spending a significant amount of time thinking about or planning to use social media, while 18% said they use it to escape their problems, and 15% confirmed they had tried to reduce their use but were unable to.
The results also showed that adolescents who scored higher on addictive use were more likely to experience increased symptoms of poor concentration, impulsivity, and difficulty completing tasks in the following year. This correlation was not observed in girls, which the researchers attributed to biological and behavioral differences between the sexes.
The researchers called on parents not only to count the number of hours spent using phones, but also to monitor signs of addictive use, such as difficulty stopping using apps and their impact on sleep, study and social relationships, while setting clear rules for the use of electronic devices inside the home, and preventing the use of phones in bedrooms, stressing that the parents’ commitment to these rules helps children acquire healthy digital habits.
