Teens who switch between TV and phone could be more likely to underperform at school

A new study has found that teenagers who divide their attention between devices such as their phones, video games, and the TV tend to have lower scores in math and English. ©g-stockstudio/Shutterstock.com

Teenagers who divide their attention between devices such as their phones, videogames, and the TV tend to have lower scores in math and English, new Canadian research has found. 

The study, by the University of Toronto, also found that "media multitasking", which is using different forms of media at the same time – for example having the television on in the background while texting on a smartphone – is also linked with greater impulsivity and a poorer working memory.