The influence of television and video game use on attention and school problems: A multivariate analysis with other risk factors controlled
Abstract
Background Research on youth mental health has increasingly indicated the importance of multivariate analyses of multiple risk factors for negative outcomes. Television and video game use have often been posited as potential contributors to attention problems, but previous studies have not always been well-controlled or used well-validated outcome measures. The current study examines the multivariate nature of risk factors for attention problems symptomatic of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and poor school performance.Method A predominantly Hispanic population of 603 children (ages 10-14) and their parents/guardians responded to multiple behavioral measures. Outcome measures included parent and child reported attention problem behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) as well as poor school performance as measured by grade point average (GPA).Results Results found that internal factors such as male gender, antisocial traits, family environment and anxiety best predicted attention problems. School performance was best predicted by family income. Television and video game use, whether total time spent using, or exposure to violent content specifically, did not predict attention problems or GPA.Interpretation Television and video game use do not appear to be significant predictors of childhood attention problems. Intervention and prevention efforts may be better spent on other risk factors.
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There are contradictory findings for video games, some with no effects and negative effects.
“Though, like for other digital activities, there are contradictory findings for video games, some with no effects30,31 and negative effects32,33.”
From The impact of digital media on children’s intelligence while controlling for genetic differences in cognition and socioeconomic background (2022) · cites this paper as [31]
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Jiang, Y. H., Fu, R., & Xing, S. (2019) · PsyCh Journal · doi:10.1002/pchj.277 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Lampis, V., Mascheretti, S., Cantiani, C., Riva, V., Lorusso, M. L., Lecce, S., Molteni, M., Antonietti, A., & Giorgetti, M. (2023) · Children · doi:10.3390/children10040656 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“These findings suggested that a portion of the previously described negative effects conferred by watching TV/playing video games on affective profiles in preschoolers [68,69] is attenuated by the”
BackgroundHunter, S., Leatherdale, S. T., & Carson, V. (2018) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/josh.12672 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Başaran, B., & Şimşek, Ö. (2023) · Journal of Computer Assisted Learning · doi:10.1111/jcal.12920 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Screen Time and Standardized Academic Achievement Tests in Elementary School
Li, X., Keown‐Stoneman, C. D. G., Omand, J. A., Cost, K. T., Gallagher‐Mackay, K., Hove, J., Janus, M., Korczak, D. J., Pullenayegum, E., Tsujimoto, K. C., et al. (2025) · JAMA Network Open · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.37092 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Les jeux vidéo sérieux en pédiatrie
Drummond, D., Tesnière, A., & Hadchouel, A. (2017) · Archives de Pédiatrie · doi:10.1016/j.arcped.2017.10.028 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“Le lien entre jeux vidéo et troubles de l’attention, encore débattu [4,5], semble en fait être à double sens : d’un côté les jeux vidéo pourraient effectivement entraı̂ner des troubles de l’attention, mais de l’autre les enfants présentant des troubles de l’attention ont tendance à jouer aux jeux vidéo plus longtemps…”
Simões, C., Rivera, F., Moreno, C., & de Matos, M. G. (2018) · The Spanish Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1017/sjp.2018.37 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“…technology), some studies also appear inconsistent, ranging from a non-significant relationship between television and video game use and grades (Ferguson, 2011), to a negative relationship between video gaming and academic achievement (Jackson, von Eye, Witt, Zhao, & Fitzgerald, 2011).”
ResultValidation study of the Questionnaire on School Maladjustment Problems (QSMP).
de la Fuente, J., Sánchez, F. J. P., Roda, M. D. S., & Torres, M. V. T. (2012) · PubMed · Cited by 6 · see citing works
ADHD symptoms and callous‐unemotional traits as predictors of violent media use in adolescence
Rydell, A., & Brocki, K. C. (2020) · Scandinavian Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/sjop.12693 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Кыштымова, И., & Тимофеев, С. Б. (2019) · Baikal Research Journal · doi:10.17150/2411-6262.2019.10(4).3 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Ravi, K. E., Rai, A., Lawler, A., & Cronley, C. C. (2022) · Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research · doi:10.1086/722421 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“For instance, the current evidence suggests that there is no direct relationship between exposure to IPV and GPA (Cage et al., 2022; Ferguson, 2011; Kernic et al., 2002; Voisin et al., 2011).”
Comparing active game-playing scores and academic performances of elementary school students
Kert, S. B., Büyükimdat, M. K., Uzun, A. M., & Çayiroğlu, B. (2016) · Education 3-13 · doi:10.1080/03004279.2016.1140800 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“On the other hand, if we think of video games as forms of computer games, then the results of this study contradict Ferguson ’ s (2011) fi ndings.”
BackgroundResultImpact of Violence in Movies on Juvenile Delinquency
Saeed, N., Rehman, T. U., & Usmani, M. A. (2018) · International Journal of Civic Engagement and Social Change · doi:10.4018/ijcesc.2018010104 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Schwartz, R. H. (2013) · Open Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.4236/ojped.2013.33035 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“During adolescence and the early 20 s, extreme participation in modern multiplayer internet action games can be associated with serious consequences that intrude in, stunt, or deviate from adolescent goal-related normative development: school attendance, academic performance, healthy social interaction, initiative and…”
BackgroundÖz Belirleme Kuramı Temelinde Bir Müdahale Aracı Olarak Video Oyunları
Sevinçli, M. C., & Eger, M. (2022) · Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry · doi:10.18863/pgy.974968 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Dijital Oyun Ortamında NFT Kullanımı ve Oyna-Kazan Modelinin Yapısal Analizi
AYDEMİR, M., & FETAH, V. (2022) · TRT Akademi · doi:10.37679/trta.1143010 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
ADHD: A true neurodevelopmental disorder?
Price, M., & Raffelsbauer, D. (2012) · Medical Writing · doi:10.1179/2047480612z.00000000023 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Goldstein, S. (2011) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054711402924 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
MİNİK SEYİRCİLER: BEBEK VE KÜÇÜK ÇOCUKLARDA HAREKETLİ GÖRÜNTÜ ALGISININ GELİŞİMİ ÜZERİNE BİR DERLEME
Ildırar, S. (2014) · Erciyes İletişim Dergisi · doi:10.17680/akademia.v3i4.5000013958 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Kumanyika ve Grier, 2006; Ferguson, 2011).”
Edvinsson, D. (2017) · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Media Use and Development of Executive Function
Eisen, S., & Lillard, A. S. (2020) · The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology · doi:10.1002/9781119011071.iemp0220 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Lin, L., Luo, W.-H., Wang, J., Wang, R., Sun, M., & Zhou, L. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-24563-6 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“The relationship between game use time and mental health outcomes was controversial in previous studies and did not follow a linear pattern in this study [44, 45].”
Marin-Dragu, S., Orr, M., Corkum, P. V., Rusak, B., Bagnell, A. L., & Meier, S. M. (2025) · Cyberpsychology Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace · doi:10.5817/cp2025-5-3 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“…enter preadolescence and that other factors (such as problematic behaviours, family environment) could impact the association between sleep, screen-time, and mental health (Boers et al., 2019; H. Cao et al., 2011; Ferguson, 2011; Primack et al., 2009; Riehm et al., 2019; Sanders et al., 2019).”
Utilising Modern Technologies and some Indicators of Mental Health in Pre-school Children in Croatia
Bagarić, E. S., Flander, G. B., Roje, M., & Raguž, A. B. (2020) · Archives of Psychiatry Research · doi:10.20471/may.2021.57.01.07 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“A lack of research related to internalized problems in pre-school children is especially striking, while externalized issues, the correlation between screen time (especially playing games) and aggressive behaviour as well as attention and concentration difficulties [20-23] have been studied more often.”
BackgroundGenre Differences in Soft Skills Perception and Video Game Usage in the University of Extremadura
Alloza, S., Escribano, F., López, Ó. R. G., & Mateos, M. B. (2021) · Advances in human and social aspects of technology book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-8089-9.ch003 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Digital Technology, Perceived Parental Mediation, and Adolescents' Academic Performance
Korie, D. O. (2025) · Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal · doi:10.14738/assrj.1206.18991 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Schwendemann, H., Flaig, S., Kuntz, L., Stiller, A., Bleckmann, P., Mößle, T., & Bitzer, E. M. (2020) · Gesundheit und Gesellschaft · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-30909-1_7 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Violent Movies and Criminal Behavior of Delinquents
Saleem, N., Ahmed, S., Hanan, M. A., Christian, F., & Haroon, S. (2013) · Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Fisher, J. T., Hopp, F. R., Chen, Y., & Weber, R. (2022) · doi:10.33767/osf.io/upez3 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Games as a Social-Cultural Medium: Motivation, Community, and Disruptive Behavior
Azadvar, A., & Ni, Q. (2025) · IntechOpen eBooks · doi:10.5772/intechopen.1011117 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Passive and active screen time relate differently to attention in preschool children
Nustad, S. H., & Abrahamsson, L. M. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1737937 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“…TV viewing and children’s overall development and attention (e.g., Christakis et al., 2004; Johnson et al., 2007; Miller et al., 2007; Radesky and Christakis, 2016; Reid Chassiakos et al., 2016), although some studies failed to detect an association (e.g., Foster and Watkins, 2010; Ferguson, 2011).”
The association between video game play and cognitive ability: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhao, R., Pang, K., Yu, J., Zhang, W., Kong, X., Wang, J., Haidabieke, A., Ding, X., & Li, J. (2026) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107110 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Televisión, clima familiar y percepción de valores en adolescentes con TDA-H y adolescentes estándar
Barandiarán, A. A., & Samaniego, M. C. M. (2013) · Revista Latina de Comunicación Social · doi:10.4185/rlcs-2013-976 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Sin embargo, otros estudios como, por ejemplo, el de Ferguson (2011) descartan que los niños y adolescentes que pasan muchas horas viendo televisión desarrollen TDAH.”
BackgroundBartolo, C. A. D., & Braun, M. K. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49547-7_12 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
РАО», Ф. Г. Б. Н. У. «. В. Ф., & Талалай, И. В. (2022) · Novye issledovania · doi:10.46742/2072-8840-2022-69-1-56-75 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ferguson, C. J.
- Affiliations
- Texas A&M International University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ferguson, Christopher J.
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatric Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-06
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 808-813
- ISSN
- 0022-3956 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2053477744
- Cited by
- 121
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 27.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- television viewing, video game use, attention deficits, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, academic performance, grade point average, violent media exposure, risk factors, antisocial personality traits, family environment, anxiety, household income, Hispanic children, youth mental health
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Attention, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Behavioral Symptoms, Child, Child Behavior, Family, Female, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Schools, Sex Factors, Television, Multivariate Analysis, Video Games
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