The effect of problematic short-video use on attention networks among college students

This study examined the effect of problematic short-video use on attention network performance among college students. Based on the screening results of the SPAI, the adapted IAT, and a scale adapted from the DSM-5 IGD symptom criteria, 34 college students were included in the problematic short-video use group and 37 in the control group. Both groups completed the Attention Network Test (ANT), with reaction time and accuracy recorded, and the effects of the alerting, orienting, and executive control networks calculated. Independent-samples t tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used to compare group differences. The results showed that the orienting network effect in the problematic short-video use group was significantly lower than that in the control group, whereas no significant differences were found in the alerting network effect or the executive control network effect. Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed a significant main effect of cue condition on reaction time and a significant group × cue condition interaction; the main effect of target condition was significant, but the group × target condition interaction was not significant. Accuracy results showed that the problematic short-video use group had lower overall accuracy than the control group, but the group × cue condition and group × target condition interactions were not significant. College students with problematic short-video use mainly showed a reduced orienting network effect, suggesting that they may have lower efficiency in using spatial cues, shifting attention, and locating targets, rather than a general decline in attention function. This study provides preliminary behavioral evidence for understanding the relationship between problematic short-video use and attention network performance.