A large US study reveals a strong association between problematic social media use and increased ADHD symptoms in teenage boys, raising concerns over the addictive nature of online platforms and their impact on mental health.
Paediatricians are warning that teenage boys who struggle with excessive social media use may find it harder to break the habit if they are vulnerable to ADHD, after a large US study found a strong link between problematic use and later symptoms. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco said the association was especially pronounced in boys, even though the study did not show that social media use causes ADHD.
The findings come from data drawn from more than 11,000 children in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, a long-running project tracking US children from early adolescence into the teenage years. The UCSF team compared parent and self-reported ADHD symptoms with responses to a social media addiction questionnaire, focusing on difficulty cutting back rather than simple hours online. That approach matters because earlier research has suggested that screen exposure alone is a blunt measure; a separate UCSF study in 2022 found that increased screen time in tweens was associated with a greater likelihood of disruptive behaviour disorders, with social media most closely tied to conduct disorder.
In the new analysis, published in JAMA Network Open in July 2026, higher scores for problematic social media use tended to be followed by higher ADHD symptom scores a year or more later. The reverse pattern was weaker and less consistent, suggesting that the relationship is not simply one of ADHD leading to heavier use. According to the study, boys showed the clearest pattern, with increases in addictive social media use linked to more pronounced rises in ADHD traits over time.
Researchers said the results do not settle the question of cause and effect. One possibility is that early ADHD traits make some children more susceptible to the reward-driven design of social media platforms. Another is that compulsive use may worsen attention problems over time. A 2025 meta-analysis also reported an association between problematic social media use and ADHD symptoms in adolescents, adding to a growing body of evidence that parents and clinicians may need to pay attention not just to screen time, but to the pattern of use and whether young people feel unable to stop.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
