EFFECT OF INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKING DUE TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK ON THE SPAN OF ATTENTION IN ADOLESCENTS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has led to new national policies including national school closures, lockdowns, and social distancing recommendations that may translate to higher overall screen time among adolescents, especially with their education system shifting to the online systems. Excessive screen time is associated with a decreased span of attention because it increases the sedentary time and is associated with a poor sleep cycle leading to attention and concentration problems. Keeping in view the prevalent problem that has led to inattention issues in college students, this study is designed to statistically calculate the correlation between the two constructs. 300 participants from various colleges were included from over 3 cities of KP. The data was collected online through Google Forms by approaching them individually. The results were promising and showed a significant correlation between high screen time and inattention among college students.