Digital media exposure and cognitive functioning in European children and adolescents of the I.Family study

The digital environment can pose health risks through exposure to unhealthy content. Yet, little is known about its relation to children’s cognitive functioning. This study investigates the association between digital media (DM) exposure and children’s cognitive functioning. This cross-sectional study is based on examinations of children aged 8–18 years (N= 8673) of the I.Family cohort (2013–2014). Exposure to television, computer, smartphone and internet was self-reported (hours/day). Media multitasking (MMT) was defned as simultaneous use of computers with other digital or non-screenbased activities. Standard instruments were used to assess cognitive infexibility (score: 0–39), decision-making ability (−100 to+ 100) and impulsivity (12–48). Adjusted regression coefcients and 99.9%CIs were calculated by generalized linear mixed-efects models. In total, 3261 participants provided data for impulsivity, 3441 for cognitive infexibility and 4046 for decision-making. Exposure to smartphones and media multitasking were positively associated with impulsivity (βsmartphone= 0.74; 99.9%CI = 0.42–1.07; βMMT = 0.73; 99.9%CI = 0.35–1.12) and cognitive infexibility (βsmartphone= 0.32; 99.9%CI = -0.02–0.66; βMMT = 0.39; 99.9%CI = 0.01–0.77) while being inversely associated with decisionmaking ability. Extensive smartphone/internet exposure combined with low computer/medium TV exposure was associated with higher impulsivity and cognitive infexibility scores, especially in girls. DM exposure is adversely associated with cognitive functioning in children and adolescents. Children require protection against the likely adverse impact of digital environment.