The Link Between Excessive Screen Time and GPA
I reviewed 40 empirical studies and meta-analyses ranging from 2011 to 2025 in this evidence-based synthesis paper. Additionally, I utilized the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition Text Revision (DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2022), the International Classification of Diseases Eleventh Revision (ICD-11; World Health Organization, 2021), some government statistical websites, and one student survey. I used these sources to research the connection between screen time and grade point average (GPA). Additional factors I discussed included sleep, physical activity, level of addiction, and time-management. The findings conflict as to whether screen time can directly affect GPA; however, regarding physical activity and sleep I found significant contributions to academic performance. In this paper I also discussed the definition of addiction, and I reviewed studies advocating for a broadened and more specific definition for addiction. Some limitations included the samples mainly consisting of nursing students and underdeveloped research regarding behavioral addiction. Future research could include more graduate-level students, a more diverse sample from a broader population, as well as research into behavioral addiction and their potential neurobiological bases.
PSY 499, Senior Capstone
Erin Mueller
Siefke 100
11 – 11:30 AM