Association between mobile phone use and inattention in 7102 Chinese adolescents: a population-based cross-sectional study. .
Zheng F, Gao P, He M, Li M, Wang C, Zeng Q, Zhou Z, Yu Z, Zhang L. · 2014
View Original AbstractTeens using phones over 60 minutes daily for entertainment showed significantly higher rates of attention problems in this 7,000-student study.
Plain English Summary
Chinese researchers studied over 7,000 middle school students to examine whether mobile phone use affects attention and focus. They found that teens who used their phones for more than 60 minutes daily for entertainment were significantly more likely to have attention problems, including difficulty concentrating and staying focused on tasks. The study suggests that limiting phone use to under an hour per day could help adolescents maintain better attention spans.
Why This Matters
This large-scale study adds important evidence to growing concerns about mobile phone impacts on developing brains. What makes this research particularly significant is its focus on attention deficits, which directly affect academic performance and daily functioning in young people. The 60-minute threshold identified here is concerning because it represents typical daily usage for many teens today. The reality is that adolescent brains are still developing, particularly areas responsible for attention and impulse control, making them potentially more vulnerable to disruption from constant digital stimulation. While this study doesn't prove causation, it aligns with mounting evidence that excessive screen time and EMF exposure may interfere with cognitive development during these critical years.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between MP use and inattention in adolescents.
A total of 7720 middle school students were involved in this cross-sectional study. Inattention was ...
In total, 7102 (91.99%) valid questionnaires were obtained. After adjusted for confounders, inattent...
Our study shows some associations between MP use and inattention in Chinese adolescents. Decreasing MP usage to less than 60 minutes per day may help adolescents to stay focused and centered.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_2014_association_between_mobile_phone_2707,
author = {Zheng F and Gao P and He M and Li M and Wang C and Zeng Q and Zhou Z and Yu Z and Zhang L.},
title = {Association between mobile phone use and inattention in 7102 Chinese adolescents: a population-based cross-sectional study. .},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1186/1471-2458-14-1022},
url = {https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1022},
}