Why Teens Struggle to Stay Focused in a World That Won’t Stop Buzzing

Every day, teens are bombarded by alarms, alerts, and the endless scroll, making it harder to concentrate, even for simple tasks.

Studies show students who frequently switch between digital tasks struggle more with sustained attention and learning. Meanwhile, a Common Sense Media report found that teens check their phones over 100 times a day, often receiving hundreds of notifications daily.

These numbers echo what Dr. Bryan Weed, a pediatrician at Utah Valley Pediatrics’ Vineyard office, sees every day.

“I see illustrations of this every day in the office, in both children and their parents, unfortunately,” says Weed. “I sometimes find myself competing with a child’s or parent’s device while discussing the child’s healthcare.”

Concerns like these inspired this ongoing series exploring how smartphones and social media affect children’s mental health. This article focuses on a key issue that’s easy to overlook but deeply impacts teens: attention fragmentation, i.e., how digital distractions chip away at focus, task completion, and even healthy development.

When Focus Becomes Fragmented

Weed says he has witnessed a noticeable increase in teens who are having trouble with their attention span while doing school work and tasks at home. Oftentimes, these changes correspond with obtaining a smartphone and spending increased amounts of time on it.

Attention fragmentation happens when a child’s environment is packed with competing factors or when they can quickly seek new stimulation whenever bored. This leads to shorter attention spans and less tolerance for stillness.

“Attention fragmentation refers to the increase in distraction when a child’s environment has many sources of stimuli or can easily seek a new form of stimulation when they become bored,” Weed says.

A Developing Brain Under Pressure

Teens are especially vulnerable because the part of the brain that manages focus—the prefrontal cortex—is not yet completely formed.

“If they are not given opportunities for boredom due to constant stimulation, they will likely struggle to learn to dedicate their attention to important goals, tasks, or relationships,” Weed says.

This neurological reality matches research linking heavy media multitasking with poorer impulse control and attention in adolescents.

Real-Life Distraction

Weed recalls a tween patient who was anxious and distracted by her phone.

“While we were discussing her plan of care, she had to check her phone about every 20 to 30 seconds to see if she was missing any messages from her group chat,” Weed says. “It was plain to see that the phone at her side was making it difficult for her to be fully present and engaged during an important conversation.”

These patterns, unfortunately, often lead to academic struggles.

“The children affected by chronic distraction struggle academically,” Weed says.

Signs Parents Should Watch For

According to Weed, red flags of excessive screen time and fragmented attention include the following:

• Frequent complaints of boredom, especially after being asked to turn off their device
• Long periods of time being spent alone in their room with an electronic device
• Irritability when asked to complete a task requiring sustained concentration, like practicing a musical instrument or doing homework
• Tasks taking longer than expected to be completed

Nighttime Tech’s Toll on Sleep and Mood

Screen use late at night often compounds the problem. 

“The late bedtime is usually due to scrolling on their phone or chatting with friends long after their target bedtime,” Weed says. “Many of these kids get only five to seven hours of sleep, when they should ideally be getting eight to nine hours of sleep. This often negatively affects their academic performance, stress levels, and relationships with friends and family. Due to this shortening of sleep, attention span, and tolerance for boredom, teens will often act irritably.”

Practical Strategies That Help

Weed offers simple but effective advice: 

“I recommend that when they are engaged in a task, school, a conversation, or dinner with the family, they have their phone or device in a completely different room. This will instantly increase their attention span.”

The same advice holds for developing healthy sleep practices: 

“I also recommend that all children keep their devices in a separate room when they go to bed,” he says.

According to Weed, good smartphone behavior should be modeled by parents.

“If parents want to implement these goals with their children, the best place to start is with the parents’ behavior,” he says. “Children model what behaviors they see in their parents.”

There’s Hope, Even When It Feels Overwhelming

For parents worried about constant distraction, Weed offers reassurance.

“We are all doing our best as parents, and nobody should expect perfection in themselves or their kids,” he says. “I recommend that parents and kids make a plan together to set limits on when devices will be introduced.”

His recommendations include allowing access to smartphones no earlier than age 12 or age 16 for social media apps. And children should avoid the use of phones and social media in their bedrooms. Parents should also define what the consequences will be if they are not being used responsibly.

“Try to stick to the plan,” says Weed. “If you get off track, then just begin again. The important thing is to remember that you and your child are learning together and not to shame or punish them—or yourself—if it isn’t perfect.”

A Child’s Attention Is Priceless

Weed offered a powerful closing reminder.

“A child’s attention is one of the most valuable things they have to give, and social media companies are competing fiercely for that attention,” he says. “I hope that together as parents and pediatricians we can help them learn to devote their attention to the things that matter most to them.”

For further questions on attention fragmentation, consult any of our 33 pediatricians at 12 convenient locations across Utah Valley and beyond.