Features of Media Multitasking in School-Age Children

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Media Studies
• Developmental Science

Background:

• Media multitasking is prevalent among youth during digital socialization.
• Existing research links media multitasking to cognitive control, executive functions, and academic performance.
• The specific effects of media multitasking on children's performance during typical activities require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between media multitasking and cognitive functions in children and adolescents.
• To investigate the influence of age and user activity on media multitasking preferences and performance.
• To assess the impact of media multitasking on task performance and completion time.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design involving 154 participants across three age groups (7-10, 11-13, 14-16).
• Digital tasks on computer and smartphone, the dots task for executive functions, and a socio-psychological questionnaire were utilized.
• Comparative analysis between media multitasking and non-multitasking groups.

Main Results:

• Media multitasking prevalence increases with age, not sex.
• Preference for multitasking positively correlates with higher user activity.
• While overall task completion rate was similar, media multitasking significantly increased total performance time.

Conclusions:

• Media multitasking is strongly associated with internet usage intensity, cognitive functions, and performance time in children and adolescents.
• Age is a significant factor in media multitasking behavior.
• The findings highlight the considerable role of media multitasking in the social and cognitive development of young individuals.