A new study is showing that a short attention span can increase a child’s risk of experiencing the negative aspects of social media more. Children are on social media, and it is important that parents are mindful of what their children are doing and who they are interacting with when they are online. This is a modern age and world, and it is important that if parents can not keep their children away from social media, that they are making sure they are as safe as possible while online and there are multiple studies to guide mom on what to watch out for.
According to Medical Xpress, a new study is showing that those who have short attention spans are more likely to experience the negative aspects of social media. There are some benefits to social media, but that also means that there comes with some red flags to watch out for.
The study was done by Curtin University, and it can be read in full here. The research found that children who get distracted easier than others are more at risk for suffering “psychological distress” and mental health issues from social media.
To complete the study, the researchers looked at phono data from 69 participants. They wanted to see their usage of specific social media apps and then an eye gaze test was done to track their level of distraction and attention. They then measured their level of distress. Tamsin Mahalingham was the lead researcher on the project and he stated that there was a strong link between a person’s level of attention control and a negative impact on mental health from social media. This can be highly concerning to parents who may notice that their children have a short attention span.
It is developmentally normal for young children to be easily distracted, but as they get older, they should be able to sit at a task for a longer period of time without getting distracted by something around them. However, some children (and adults) never seem to gain a long attention span and while this may not be overly concerning on its own, it is important to be mindful of their social media use and if it is having an impact on their mental health and wellbeing. This study could also have an impact on a mom or dad who has a short attention span but also loves to scroll through social media.
Sources: Medical Xpress, Science Direct