Television and Video Game Exposure and Development of Attention Problems

Six to 12-year-olds who spent more than two hours a day playing video games or watching television had trouble paying attention in school, according to a study published in the July online edition of Pediatrics.

Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends allowing kids one to two hours of screen time per day. The study surveyed teachers and parents about kids’ screen habits and found that the heaviest screen timers, those students who went beyond two hours of screen time per day, were nearly twice as likely to have above average attention deficit problems. The pacing and flash of modern games and television programs may contribute to the attention programs, researchers said.

Read the report.