ADHD and Screen Time: Understanding the Connection and Finding Balance

In our clinic, young adults and teenagers are increasingly bringing up their concerns about how much time they spend on their phones—scrolling, watching short videos, or simply ‘getting lost’ online. Of course, we also meet parents who are worried, but often it is the young person themself who feels “hooked,” uneasy, or unsure about the impact of their online habits. Many are thinking about how the time they spend on screens might be affecting them in negative ways.

We hear about similar patterns again and again: feeling bored off-screen, acting impulsively, or using screens as an escape from negative or racing thoughts. For a busy mind—or for someone who is socially shy—screens become a hook, an escape, “something to do”, “to socialise” in an easier way.

Persons with autism or ADHD may spend more time on screens

It isn’t surprising, then, that people with ADHD may gravitate more naturally to screens. ADHD and screen time are, in many ways, intertwined. Excessive screen time is linked to increased ADHD symptoms, and high-stimulation digital content can worsen existing difficulties by giving the ADHD brain exactly what it craves for—fast, novel, rewarding input—making real-world low-stimulation activities even harder to engage with.

Wallace et al. (2023) found that screen time isn’t just correlated with ADHD symptoms across different individuals—it also fluctuates within individuals year to year, predicting changes in ADHD symptoms over time. This gives stronger weight to the idea that screen exposure may play an active role in symptom variation. Because the impulsivity/inhibition spectrum (executive functioning) mediates this relationship, the path may look something like:more screen exposure → greater impulsivity (poorer self-inhibition) → more ADHD-type symptoms.

Notably, social media showed lagged effects, suggesting that some types of screen use may have delayed or latent impacts, not just immediate ones.

A recent investigation by the Child Mind Institute noted that parents today report greater concern about internet addiction than about substance use (Kimball et al., 2023). Similarly, greater toddler screen time at 18 months was associated with increased autism and ADHD symptoms in preschool years (Hill et al., 2024). This aligns with what many clinicians observe: toddlers at higher neurodevelopmental risk may find screens especially rewarding and engaging during critical social-development windows.

One study suggested that because screens lack natural social cues—eye contact, facial expression, voice tone—they may steer early brain connectivity toward sensory processing rather than social processing (Heffer et al., 2023). We also know autistic youth spend more time on screen compared with neurotypical peers and are more likely to have co-occurring anxiety or depression (Menezes et al., 2023).

The question is to whom can screen time be harmful and how much is enough?

Not all screen time is harmful. For many neurodivergent young people—particularly those with autism or ADHD—screens can offer a safe, predictable space. They can help with emotional regulation, provide access to like-minded peers, support learning through games, or facilitate communication through AAC, planners, or coding tools (Martinelli et al., 2025).

It is important to emphasise that most of these studies show associations, not causation. We genuinely do not know what is the egg and what is the hen: does neurodivergence drive more screen use, or does online engagement amplify neurodivergent traits?

The only thing we can confidently say is that a person’s relationship with electronic devices gives us meaningful information about their expression of neurodiversity.

In fact, Menezes et al. (2023) suggested autistic children may have a qualitatively different relationship with electronic media altogether—not one simply explained by mood issues like depression.

When it comes to neurodivergent adults, the research is surprisingly scarce. It’s a complex question without a straightforward answer: Who is harmed by screen time, and how much is “too much”?

So what can we do?

Pay attention not only to how much screen time you use, but to why and how you use it.

For toddlers—especially those already at higher familial risk for neurodevelopmental conditions—special caution and monitoring make sense.

For older children, teens, and adults, screen-time restriction should not be a goal for its own sake. Screens may support you in important ways. What matters is whether boundaries serve your needs, not the social beliefs of the day.

A good therapist can help a young person and their family explore this with curiosity rather than judgment: noticing when screen use increases, understanding what stressors or needs it might signal, and adjusting habits in ways that support mental and physical well-being.

A small reflection

Take a moment to think about your own screen use:

• Are the limits you set truly based on what you believe, or on what you feel you “should” do?

• How does screen time affect the young person’s emotions, energy, and ability to connect with others, including their family?

• What present needs is screen time meeting for the young person?

Screens are not inherently good or bad. But they can tell us something important about what is happening inside—and that is where meaningful change begins.

Indicative References

Kimball HG, Fernandez F, Moskowitz KA, et al. Parent-Perceived Benefits and Harms Associated With Internet Use by Adolescent Offspring. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2339851. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39851

Martinelli, K. (2025). Neurodivergent Kids and Screen Time: Embracing the Benefits While Building a Balance. Child Mind Institute. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/screens-and-neurodivergent-kids/

Menezes, M., et al. (2023). Screen time and diagnoses of anxiety and depression in autistic youth (doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2023.100942). Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 103, Article 100942.

Wallace, J., Boers, E., Ouellet, J., Afzali, M. H., & Conrod, P. (2023). Screen time, impulsivity, neuropsychological functions and their relationship to growth in adolescent attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Scientific Reports, 13, Article 18108. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598‑023‑44105‑7

Hill MM, Gangi DN, Miller M. Toddler Screen Time: Longitudinal Associations with Autism and ADHD Symptoms and Developmental Outcomes. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2024 Nov 29. doi:10.1007/s10578-024-01785-0. PMID: 39609334.

Heffler, K. F. (2023). Screen Time and Social Engagement in Early Childhood Development. Autism Research Institute. Retrieved from https://autism.org/screens-social-engagement/