Evaluation of the impact of mobile communication devices on cognitive functions in students

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Abstract

Introduction. The widespread use of mobile phones/smartphones and other multimedia devices in children makes the scientific community look for answers to questions about the impact of these devices on health. Currently, there are scientific studies both confirming the fact of harmful effects of mobile devices on cognitive functions in children, and refuting it.

Material and methods. In the experimental part of the research the follow-up group consisted of schoolchildren who did not use mobile phones while at school (n = 100), and the control group consisted of children who did not have restrictions on the use of mobile phones (n = 101). The research was conducted by evaluating the dynamics of work capacity, attention span during the day (Schulte test), and by means of a social survey (n = 392).

Results. The proportion of students with high and good independent work performance at the end of the school day was significantly higher among students in the school with complete restrictions on mobile communication devices. The survey found students in the unrestricted school to be more active while gadget users to be more likely to report signs of phone and problems with falling asleep. However, the differences are not significant (p > 0.05).

Limitations. The study of the assessment of the influence of mobile phones on the cognitive functions of schoolchildren aged 11–16 years was carried out on a representative sample of 201 people, which was divided into an observation group and a control group.

Conclusion. The results of the study confirm the negative impact of a distraction (mobile phones) on mental performance.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved at a meeting of the ethics committee at the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene (minutes No. 6 dated November 15, 2019). The study involved children whose parents gave written informed consent.

Contribution of the authors:
Novikova I.I. — research concept and design, collection and processing of material, writing the text, statistical data processing.
Zubtsovskaya N.A. — collection and processing of material, writing the text, compilation of the list of literature, statistical data processing, editing.
Lobkis M.A. — collection and processing of material, compilation of the list of literature.
Kondrashchenko A.I. — collection and processing of material.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: May 17, 2021
Accepted: August 24, 2021
Published: June 28, 2022

About the authors

Irina I. Novikova

Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene

Author for correspondence.
Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1105-471X
Russian Federation

Nina A. Zubtsovskaya

Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene

Email: zubtsovskaya_na@niig.su
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6817-200X

Researcher, organizational and methodological department, Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene, Novosibirsk, 630108, Russian Federation.

e-mail: zubtsovskaya_na@niig.su

Russian Federation

Mariya A. Lobkis

Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8483-5229
Russian Federation

Artur I. Kondrashchenko

Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene

Email: noemail@neicon.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2864-1582
Russian Federation

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