What New Research Says About Screen Time & ADHD (And Why Online Advice Gets It Wrong)

Описание: In this episode, Ryan and Mike discuss how screen time impacts the executive functioning skills already delayed in kids with ADHD — things like impulse control, attention shifting, and cognitive flexibility. They challenge the popular online messaging that frames screens as "social" or "regulating" for neurodivergent kids, arguing that these messages make parents feel better but don't actually build skills in children. They also cover practical advice for managing school-issued devices, why parents don't need their child's buy-in to set screen limits, and why short-term calm from screens comes at the cost of long-term development.

Find Mike @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.grownowadhd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Find Ryan @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.adhddude.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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[00:00:00] Start
[00:00:34] Screen Time Realities for Working Parents
[00:03:44] The 2025 Longitudinal Brain Study
[00:04:28] How Screens Alter Executive Function Development
[00:05:45] Why In-Person Interaction Builds Skills
[00:08:05] The Myth That Screens Are Social
[00:10:19] Why "Screens Are Regulating" Appeals to Parents
[00:11:30] Your Child Is Not Your Co-Parent
[00:14:13] Addressing Screen Use on School Devices
[00:16:20] Best Predictors of Future Success
[00:17:51] Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts

CITATIONS:

Shou, Q., Yamashita, M., & Mizuno, Y. (2025). Association of screen time with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and their development: The mediating role of brain structure. Translational Psychiatry, 15, Article 447.

Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168.

Diamond, A., & Ling, D. S. (2016). Conclusions about interventions, programs, and approaches for improving executive functions that appear justified and those that do not. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 18, 34–48.

Doebel, S. (2020). Rethinking executive function and its development. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(4), 942–956.

Nigg, J. T. (2017). Annual research review: On the relations among self-regulation, self-control, executive functioning, effortful control, cognitive control, impulsivity, risk-taking, and inhibition for developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(4), 361–383.

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Welcome to the ADHD Parenting Podcast YouTube channel—hosted by Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP, founder of ADHD Dude, and Michael McLeod, MA, CCC-SLP, founder of GrowNOW ADHD.

If you're parenting a child with ADHD and seeking practical, science-backed strategies, you're in the right place. Ryan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified School Social Worker, and ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider with over 20 years of experience working with children and adolescents with ADHD.

Michael is an ASHA-Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Executive Function/ADHD Specialist, recognized for developing the evidence-based GrowNOW Model.

Together, they provide parents with clear, actionable guidance to help their children build essential skills, improve behavior, and boost confidence. Subscribe for straightforward, effective strategies to support your child's ADHD journey.

www.adhddude.com
www.grownowadhd.com