Smartphones have been researched to have many health dangers in people, and a new US study has found that they may be causing ADHD-like symptoms even in those who do not suffer from the condition.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.
Researchers from University of Virginia carried out a two-week experimental study of 221 students at the University of British Columbia.
In the first experimental study, the researchers tried to find evidence that smartphone interruptions can increase levels of inattention and hyperactivity — both symptoms of ADHD.
The participants were asked to maximise their phone interruptions for one week by keeping ring alerts, vibration alerts and notification alerts switched on, and their phones within easy reach.
For the second week of the study, they were asked to minimise phone interruptions by keeping their phones on silent and all alerts off, and their phones away.
At the end of both weeks participants were asked to complete questionnaires which assessed their levels of inattention and hyperactivity.
The researchers found that students reported significantly higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity when the phone alerts were turned on than when the phones were on silent, with results suggesting that the students were experiencing some of the same symptoms experienced by sufferers of ADHD, including distraction, difficulty focusing, getting bored easily when trying to focus, fidgeting, difficulty sitting still, difficulty doing quiet tasks and activities, and restlessness.
According to the lead author of the study, Kostadin Kushlev: “The findings simply suggest that our constant digital stimulation may be contributing to an increasingly problematic deficit of attention in modern society.”
“Importantly, we found that people can reduce the harmful effects of over-stimulation by smartphones simply by keeping their phones on silent and out of easy reach whenever possible, thus keeping notifications at bay.” Kushlev added.
S.O.Z