Social media ADHD study finds teen symptoms rose after problem use
A JAMA Network Open study followed 11,000-plus adolescents and found problem social media use predicted small rises in later ADHD symptoms.
By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter
3 min read
A social media ADHD study published in JAMA Network Open followed more than 11,000 adolescents for five years and found that problematic use of social platforms was followed by slightly higher ADHD symptoms a year later, according to Jason M. Nagata and colleagues. The authors said the findings support closer attention to online behavior when clinicians evaluate attention and impulse-control concerns in teenagers.
The study did not report a large effect, and the researchers cautioned that the association appeared over limited periods. They also found that the opposite pattern, in which ADHD symptoms predicted later problematic social media use, was weaker and less consistent.
Does social media use increase ADHD symptoms in teens?
The researchers reported an association, not proof that social media causes ADHD. In the study, adolescents who had higher-than-usual problematic social media use in a given year tended to have more parent-reported ADHD symptoms the following year.
ADHD involves persistent problems with inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that can interfere with development and daily functioning, the researchers wrote. They noted that ADHD affects about 7 million U.S. children, or 11.4%, and that reported cases increased by 1 million from 2016 to 2022.
How the study measured the link
Nagata and colleagues used a prospective cohort design, meaning they tracked the same group over time rather than measuring participants once. The adolescents were about 12 years old at the start of the study and were followed into mid-adolescence.
The teenagers completed a questionnaire about social media behaviors, including difficulty cutting back, loss of control and distress when they could not use platforms. For the main analysis, parents or caregivers completed a standardized behavior checklist that measured symptoms such as trouble concentrating and impulsive behavior.
The strongest link appeared between ages 14 and 16, according to the study. The researchers described that period as one when teenagers often have more online independence while impulse-control systems are still developing relative to reward systems.
The authors wrote that social media features such as likes and continuous scrolling can deliver frequent social rewards. They said those rewards may be relevant to ADHD-related tendencies, including stronger responses to immediate rewards and difficulty waiting for delayed ones.
What changed for boys and girls
The association from problematic social media use to later ADHD symptoms was stronger among boys than girls, according to the study. The researchers also reported that girls who already had ADHD symptoms were more likely to have later difficulty with social media use.
Reporting differed by who answered the questions. Parents noted more attention and impulse-control problems after a year of heavier problematic social media use, while teenagers did not report the same change in themselves, according to Nagata and colleagues.
The authors said the findings make a case for assessing problematic social media use in young people, especially those with ADHD or other attention-related concerns. They also warned against broad clinical or policy conclusions because the observed effects were small.
This story draws on original reporting from Medical Xpress.