Teens glued to phones risk 'modest' rise in ADHD symptoms: study
Could teenagers suffer symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after engaging in excessive smartphone use?
A new study out Tuesday says digital overload could be linked to a "modest" but significant rise in new ADHD behaviors, offering a warning to parents about the potential dangers of too much screen time.
The findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association were based on nearly 2,600 Los Angeles teens who answered survey questions over a two-year period -- making it one of the largest and longest studies on the topic to date.
The more social media, streaming video, text messaging, music downloads or online chats they engaged with, the more likely they were to report symptoms like difficulty organizing and completing tasks, or trouble remaining still.
About 10 percent of youths who said they commonly used digital media platforms frequently showed new ADHD symptoms over the study period, said the report.
In contrast, 4.6 percent of students who were not frequent users of any digital activity showed ADHD symptoms.
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