Neuropsychological Deficits in Disordered Screen Use Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Science
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Increasing prevalence of excessive and disordered screen use worldwide.
• Inconsistent findings in previous research on screen use and cognitive function.
• Need for a comprehensive synthesis of existing literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize literature and quantify cognitive impairment in disordered screen use.
• To identify specific cognitive domains most affected by disordered screen use.
• To examine moderators such as behavior type (Internet vs. gaming) and testing format.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of Embase, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE databases.
• Inclusion of 43 cross-sectional studies assessing neuropsychological performance.
• Random-effects meta-analysis of 34 studies to determine effect sizes.

Main Results:

• Significant small/medium cognitive deficits (g=.38) observed in individuals with disordered screen use.
• Attention and focus were the most impacted domain (g=.50), followed by executive functioning (g=.31).
• No moderation of deficits by screen behavior classification or testing format.

Conclusions:

• Disordered screen use is associated with significant, measurable cognitive impairments.
• Attention and executive functions are particularly vulnerable cognitive domains.
• Methodological considerations are crucial for understanding disparate findings in this field.