This study looked at 302 eighth graders in the United States, aged 12 to 14. Of these, 162 had ADHD and 140 did not. Teens with ADHD were deliberately recruited in about equal numbers to those without. The study measured each teen once, using the first round of data from a longer study that is still running.
Teens with ADHD used more technology overall than their peers, but not every kind. Both parents and teens reported more video games and video content. Parents also reported more TV and movie time, and teens reported more phone and video chatting. There was no clear group difference in texting, email or social media messaging, or in parent-reported phone time.
Across all teens, more technology use went with more self-reported sleep-wake problems and less time in bed on school nights. This held after accounting for medication use, ADHD status, puberty, sex and internalizing symptoms. Having ADHD did not change these links. More parent-reported technology use also went with more daytime sleepiness as rated by teachers, but only in teens with ADHD. Technology use was not linked to the teens' own ratings of daytime sleepiness.
The authors describe these links as relatively small. The study shows a link, not a cause. Sleep and technology use were measured only by reports, not by devices that track sleep, and parents and teens were asked about different time frames.
The authors suggest that clinicians ask parents about teens' technology use to spot those at risk for sleep problems.
The numbers Stats and what the terms mean
The statistics behind the plain-language claims above.
- Bourchtein, 2019: parent-reported total technology use on a typical school night, in minutes, ADHD vs comparison group, 177.07 (SD 114.35) vs 136.16 (SD 72.33), p < .001.
- Bourchtein, 2019: parent-reported video and computer game minutes, ADHD vs comparison group, 61.17 (62.82) vs 30.89 (45.29), p < .001.
- Bourchtein, 2019: parent-reported TV and movie minutes, ADHD vs comparison group, 59.38 (48.13) vs 51.45 (40.16), p = .031.
- Bourchtein, 2019: parent-reported phone text, internet and video message minutes, ADHD vs comparison group, 56.51 (61.20) vs 53.81 (35.58), p = .258.
- Bourchtein, 2019: teen-reported total technology use (sum of 0 to 5 rating items), ADHD vs comparison group, 7.08 (4.17) vs 5.93 (2.69), p = .004.
- Bourchtein, 2019: teen-reported video content and games, ADHD vs comparison group, 3.11 (1.42) vs 2.35 (1.16), p < .001.
- Bourchtein, 2019: teen-reported phone and video chat, ADHD vs comparison group, 1.17 (1.26) vs 0.88 (0.88), p = .011.
- Bourchtein, 2019: whether ADHD changed the link between parent-reported technology use and teacher-rated sleepiness, F[1,254] = 4.46, p = .036.
- Bourchtein, 2019: the same link in teens without ADHD, 95% CI [−0.004, 0.005], p = .85.
- Bourchtein, 2019: all other tests of whether ADHD changed a link, all ps > .07.
What the terms mean:
- SD (standard deviation) shows how spread out the scores were around the average. The figure in brackets after each average is its SD.
- P-value is a number from a statistical test that shows how unusual a result would be if there were really no effect. It depends on the study's own assumptions being right; here it tests the gap between the ADHD and comparison groups.
- F is the test score used to check whether ADHD changed the strength of a link.
- Confidence interval is a range of values around a result that fit the data reasonably well. Here the range for teens without ADHD runs from below zero to above zero, so it fits no link at all.
- Self-report is a measure where people answer questions about themselves. Here teens rated their own sleep problems.
Source: Bourchtein E, Langberg J, Cusick C, et al.. Featured Article: Technology Use and Sleep in Adolescents With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Pediatric Psychology (2019). doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsy101