Neural Correlates of Short-Video Application Addiction and Adolescents’ Executive Functions

Considering the widespread influence of short-video applications (SVAs) on adolescent learners, this study aimed to examine whether and how problematic SVA use predicts their executive functions from behavioral and neural perspectives.With a sample of Chinese adolescents (Mage=12.30,N=84), behavioral results show that SVA addiction predicted lower working memory but not cognitive control performance.Their brain activation pattern during SVA use was also collected and linear regression analysis generated a neural indicator of SVA addiction on delta band.This component is proved to be a significant negative predictor of adolescents' working memory and cognitive control performance.Both behavioral and neural evidence provide complementary perspectives on the relationship between SVA addiction and adolescents' executive functions.The findings suggest that though SVAs have played increasingly important role in adolescents' informal learning experiences, the negative association between SVA overuse and their cognitive functioning urges caution.