Screen-time exposure and modality-specific working memory capacity in adolescents

Electronic devices have become an integral part of adolescents’ lives, serving as a means of entertainment, education, and communication. Educational applications may enhance early reading and cognitive abilities, but excessive screen time can harm working memory (WM), a critical skill for processing information. Considering the developmental transformations in WM during adolescence, existing literature about the impacts of active (AST) vs. background screen time (BST) on modality-specific WM capacity remains inconclusive. This study examined the correlation between WM and different forms of screen in adolescents.