Hypothesis: Children who are exposed at a young age to technology will have a shorter attention span than those who have limited exposure to technology. 

Proposal Outline:

Introduction

• Technology usage among children: Shah & Fahey, 2019
• Screen usage and attention span: Jin & Lin, 2021
• Limited testing of attention available for children: Mahone & Schneider, 2021

Literature Review

• Brain Development
  • Burke, 2003 
• Decreased attention span, increased technology usage
  • Christakis & Zimmerman DiGiuseppe & McCarty, 2004
• Technology, attention, and the classroom

Methodology

• 40 total student participants, aged 5-10 years
• One group will have <1 hr of screen time per day, another group will have >1 hr of screen time per day
• Testing will include performance-based tests (ANT-C), parent and teacher questionnaires

Discussion

• Implications
  • Not getting a diverse enough group
  • Limited ways to test attention span in children
  • Parent bias
• Future Study
  • Make it a long term study
  • Using different testing methods
  • Larger Sample
• Importance of monitoring screen time in adolescents