Is there a relationship between attention/hyperactivity problems in children and exposure to media?

Yes, there is a relationship between attention/hyperactivity problems in children and exposure to media.

• Research has indicated that viewing screen media increases the risk of subsequent attention and hyperactivity problems in children and adolescents.
• Media makes use of powerful sensory and emotional cues, which easily grabs viewers’ attention. If children spend a lot of time with screen media, they may become dependent upon sensory and emotional cues to maintain attention. This then may interfere when a child is in a less stimulating environment, such as in a classroom or when a child is completing homework and there is an absence of sensory and emotional cues to maintain attention.
• Research has indicated that increased attention and hyperactivity problems associated with excessive exposure to screen media predicts more aggressive behavior, worse grades in school, and a lower probability of graduating from college.

Source: www.DrDouglas.org