Digital media overuse may be associated with poor cognition among school-age children in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Context and objective. Excessive screen time (ST) may affect children's cognitive and school performance (SP), particularly in countries where regulatory policies are lacking. The objective of the present study was to explore the relationships between ST, cognition, and SP. Methods. A cross-sectional assessment of screen use was conducted in 58 mother-child dyads in Kinshasa, DRC, from September 2022 to May 2023. Excessive ST was defined as more than 2 hours per day according to WHO’s Guidelines. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (K-ABC-II) was used to assess cognition. Results. The children's median age was 9.5 years (IQR: 8–10 years). Most (64.9%) children exceeded ST limits during both weekdays and weekends. Co-viewing with relatives increases ST (p < 0.05). K-ABC-II planning domain scores positively correlated with SP (Spearman r = 0.42, p = 0.01). Cognitive Non-verbal index (NVI) scores on the K-ABC-II correlated negatively with the number of digital media accessible to children (Spearman r = -0.35, p = 0.04) but positively with SP (Spearman r = 0.41, p = 0.01). Conclusion. The overuse of digital media may have a negative impact on cognitive performance. In-depth studies need to explore the impact on SP and better inform public health policies on digital media in the DRC.

Received: August 28^th, 2025

Accepted: October 31^th, 2025

https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v19i1.3