Does phone use affect ADHD?

There are indications linking phone use and smartphone addiction to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms:

• Studies suggest that excessive smartphone use can exacerbate ADHD's core symptoms, such as inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

• Individuals with ADHD appear to be more susceptible to developing smartphone addiction based on their higher propensity towards impulsivity, characteristic of ADHD. An odds ratio study indicated that the chances of having smartphone addiction were 6.43 times higher in individuals with ADHD compared to those without ADHD.

• Research has shown that dispositional hope, understood as perceptions about future goals and desires, can be a protective factor against adverse influences, but phone use has still led to a concerning rise in reported ADHD symptoms.

If parents suspect their child exhibiting phone addiction combined with ADHD traits, managing device access along with creating alternative activities is recommended. While screen time does not directly cause ADHD, understanding correlations can inform strategies for managing symptoms and encouraging balanced usage.