Elena L. Petrova
Therapist at the "Screen Children" Project, BG-2300 Pernik, pernik@screenchildren.com
For citation: Petrova, E.L. (2025) Difficulties in Executive Functioning in Children with Screen Addiction. Nootism 1(1), 103, ISSN 3033-1765
*This paper was presented by Elena Petrova at the Second Science Conference "Screen Children" on November 23, 2024, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Abstract
In recent years, the relationship between executive functions (EFs) and screen addiction in children has become a central focus of numerous studies. Research highlights a bidirectional and complex connection: difficulties in executive functioning may increase the risk of developing screen addiction, while excessive screen exposure can further impair executive functions. Regardless of the direction of causality, this study focuses on how screen addiction delays the development of executive functions, which are crucial for cognitive control, emotional regulation, and adaptive behavior.
Executive functions serve as the "CEO" of the brain, governing key cognitive skills such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These abilities enable children to plan, organize, regulate impulses, and transition between tasks effectively. However, excessive screen use negatively impacts these functions in multiple ways:
• Decreased attention and concentration, leading to difficulties in learning and social interactions.
• Weakened working memory, impairing information retention and processing.
• Reduced inhibitory control, fostering impulsivity and compulsive screen engagement.
Using biofeedback therapy, the study examines heart rate variability (HRV) as a key physiological indicator of executive function impairments. Improvements in HRV, LF/HF ratio, and total power were observed in children undergoing therapy, correlating with enhanced self-regulation, emotional stability, and cognitive control.
Three case studies illustrate how biofeedback-based interventions lead to improvements in attention, self-regulation, impulse control, and overall executive function. The findings confirm that screen addiction disrupts executive functioning, leading to long-term developmental delays, and highlight the effectiveness of biofeedback therapy in mitigating these effects.
Keywords: Screen addiction, executive functioning, working memory, impulse control, biofeedback therapy, cognitive flexibility, self-regulation