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Research Paper | Psychology | Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026 | Pages: 1671 - 1675 | India
A Comparative Analysis of Screen Time and Attentional Control Among Indian Secondary School Students
Abstract: This empirical investigation evaluated and compared voluntary attentional control dimensions- Attentional Focusing and Attentional Shifting- among secondary school students with low versus high recreational screen exposure in India. During adolescence, the prefrontal cortex undergoes active synaptic pruning and myelination, rendering executive functions vulnerable to habitual environmental stimulation. A quantitative, comparative, and correlational cross-sectional survey design was implemented. A sample of 100 secondary school students across Grades 8 through 12 (aged 13-18 years; 53% female, 47% male) completed a Demographic Schedule and the standardized 20-item Attentional Control Scale. Participants were categorized via median split into Low Screen Time (≤ 2 hours/day; n = 59) and High Screen Time (> 2 hours/day; n = 41) cohorts. Independent samples t-tests demonstrated that students with low recreational screen use scored significantly higher in Attentional Focusing (t(98) = -2.684, p = .009, d = -0.546), Attentional Shifting (t(98) = -2.636, p = .010, d = -0.536), and composite Total Attentional Control (t(98) = -2.853, p = .005, d = -0.580). Bivariate Pearson correlations revealed significant negative associations between daily recreational screen hours and total attentional control (r = -0.220, p = .028). High recreational screen exposure is associated with diminished voluntary focus and cognitive flexibility during secondary education.
Keywords: Recreational screen time, attentional control, attentional focusing, attentional shifting, cognitive flexibility
How to Cite?: Soumya Shanbhag, "A Comparative Analysis of Screen Time and Attentional Control Among Indian Secondary School Students", Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1671-1675, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26925135803, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26925135803