Executive functioning and binge-watching behaviors in adolescents: a network analysis

Binge-watching (BW) is a prevalent form of media consumption among adolescents, yet its cognitive correlates remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the relationships between BW behaviors and executive functioning in a sample of 940 adolescents, while also exploring gender-specific patterns (536 males, 404 females; M = 15.44 years, SD = 0.77).

Participants completed an elaborated ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire, the Binge-Watching Engagement and Symptoms Questionnaire (BWESQ), the Teenage Executive Functioning Inventory (TEXI), and the Family Affluence Scale (FAS), which was used to assess participants' socioeconomic proxy. Descriptive analyses revealed that females reported higher engagement, positive emotions, and desire-savoring scores, while females also reported slightly higher executive functioning difficulties. Partial correlations controlling for age, gender, and FAS showed that executive dysregulation, particularly inhibition and working memory deficits, was positively associated with problematic binge-watching dimensions. Network analyses were conducted using Gaussian Graphical Models estimated with EBICglasso, and gender differences were examined through the Network Comparison Test (NCT).

Network analysis highlighted the central role of affective and control-related BW dimensions, revealing interdependent relationships between cognitive difficulties and binge-watching behaviors. Although global network strength was comparable across genders, network structure differed significantly between males and females, suggesting gender-related differences in the organization of associations between executive functioning and binge-watching dimensions.

These findings underscore the multidimensional nature of adolescent binge-watching, highlighting how executive functioning deficits may act as a vulnerability factor for dysregulated consumption patterns. The results may inform future prevention strategies and emphasize the importance of considering cognitive factors when examining adolescent media use from a gender perspective.