The Impact of Screen Time on Working Memory Function of Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Due to rapid advances in science and technology, there has been an alarming increase in the amount of time people spend in front of screens, including watching television and using smartphones and tablets. The physical and psychological effects of screen use have been well studied, and excessive screen use is often strongly associated with poor physical activity, lack of concentration, and diminished memory function. The public also recognizes that screen time should be limited in order to maintain better health. However, since viewing (passive screen time) and using smart devices (active screen time) are also correlated with exercising cognitive and executive abilities, computer games that enhance working memory skills are associated with better verbal and spatial memory skills. As the development of working memory is often considered crucial during childhood and adolescence, but also in the context of weaker self-regulation (difficulty in controlling the amount of time spent on screens on their own), the purpose of this paper is to review articles that assess whether time spent using screens affects children and adolescents' working memory performance. The results of this review showed the following finding: screen time, when used properly, has a positive effect on memory (e.g., reading and text comprehension when using educational applications), but memory function can be impaired to varying degrees with prolonged screen use (e.g. impaired active imagery ability).