Asger Risom
A sweeping international study has found that heavy social media use, rather than video games or television, is associated with a gradual rise in attention problems among children.
A major long-term study has sharpened the distinction between different types of screen use, finding that social media appears to chip away at children’s ability to concentrate while video games do not show the same effect. The results challenge widespread assumptions that all digital activities pose equal cognitive risks.
Researchers say the data offers parents an opportunity to rethink how they frame children’s screen habits.
Social media stands apart
According to findings published in Pediatrics Open Science by Karolinska Institutet, more than 8,000 children in the United States were tracked from ages 9 to 14. They reported their time spent on social platforms, watching videos and playing games, while parents assessed attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Only social media use predicted a gradual rise in inattentive symptoms. Watching television or playing video games showed no such link. Professor Torkel Klingberg said the barrage of notifications and the anticipation of incoming messages likely contributes to fractured attention.
The study found no increase in hyperactivity and the association remained even after controlling for socioeconomic and genetic factors.
What the results mean
Researchers said the effect on any one child was small, but taken across a population, the pattern could be meaningful. They also noted that children with preexisting attention difficulties did not increase their social media use, indicating the influence flowed from usage to symptoms.
Average time spent on social platforms jumped from around 30 minutes a day at age 9 to two and a half hours by age 13, despite platform age limits.
Lead author Samson Nivins said the findings could help guide policymakers and families as they consider healthy digital routines and platform design.
Gaming’s cognitive upsides
While the study found no negative attention effects from gaming, research cited by the Cleveland Clinic points to several potential benefits. Commercial games appear to support different cognitive functions depending on genre, from puzzles that challenge memory to strategy titles that foster planning and critical thinking.
Child psychiatrist Dr Joseph Austerman notes that visuospatial and attention skills often improve during gameplay, even if those gains do not always transfer to the real world. Games also provide a structured way to socialise, especially when children connect with friends in monitored environments.
Building skills through play
According to pediatric behavioural specialist Dr Michael Manos, video games can increase gray matter in the brain, which supports communication between regions responsible for movement, memory and emotion. Role playing titles encourage creativity, exploration and task completion, offering rapid feedback that can feel motivating.
Many action and adventure games rely on visuomotor abilities, prompting players to react quickly to visual cues. Games also require frequent task switching, a form of executive function that can strengthen automatic attention.
Educators have found uses for games as well. Museum modes and historically grounded environments can help children absorb complex material in richer, more interactive ways.
Rethinking screen time
Experts emphasise that video games still require thoughtful moderation, but the evidence underscores that gaming does not mirror the attentional risks tied to heavy social media use. As researchers continue tracking the study’s participants beyond age 14, they say the goal is to help families shape digital habits that protect focus while allowing children to benefit from well-designed games.
Sources: Pediatrics Open Science, Cleveland Clinic
