DIGITAL INFLUENCE: NAVIGATING SCREEN TIME AND COGNITIVE GROWTH IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG STUDENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v22i3.1798Keywords:
Attention deficits, Children, Cognitive health, Digital media, Educational content, Parental involvement, Screen timeAbstract
Background: Adolescents’ screen exposure has increased substantially with the expansion of digital technology, raising concerns about its effects on cognitive and social development. Our aim was to examine the relationship between screen-time exposure and selected cognitive and social outcomes among school-aged students and to assess the effect of an educational intervention on overall awareness of healthy screen use. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study was conducted from May to Aug 2024 using a pre-validated questionnaire. The instrument assessed non-educational screen activities, including video games and cartoons, as well as attention deficits, reduced academic performance, and impaired social skills. Stratified random sampling recruited students aged 11–14, 15–18, and ≥19 years from grades 6–12. Students with previously diagnosed mental health conditions were excluded. Participants completed the questionnaire before and after a didactic lecture addressing screen exposure exceeding 2 hours daily. Results: Among 170 participants, 88 (51.67%) were female and 82 (48.23%) were male, with mean age 14.0±2.4 years. Before the intervention, moderate screen exposure was significantly associated with reduced creativity (p=0.001), while exposure of two hours daily was associated with adverse outcomes (p<0.001). Following the lecture, participants demonstrated a significant change in reported screen-use practices and awareness (p=0.017). Conclusion: Screen exposure exceeding 2 hours daily may adversely affect creativity, attention, academic performance, and social functioning, particularly when unsupervised. Content quality, parental engagement, and duration of use should be considered when developing interventions for adolescents.
Pak J Physiol 2026;22(3):134–7, DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v22i3.1798
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sadaf Konain Ansari, Umair Nasir, Noor ul Huda, Sami Ullah, Sheeza Rafique, Junaid Javed
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