BBC Morning Live visits University of Chichester to talk scrolling, screen time and ADHD

Documentary-maker and reality star Zara McDermott visited our Chichester campus recently to investigate how scrolling short-form content on a smartphone can affect the attention and brain activity of people with ADHD. Zara, who is well-known for her films for BBC3 exploring topics through a Gen Z lens, was keen to find out more for BBC Morning Live, in a report screened today (Tuesday 28 October).

Over 3 million UK residents have ADHD. Dr Benjamin Sharpe, Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology, from the University of Chichester studied how phone scrolling affects ADHD brains. He worked with Zara and ADHD advocate Leanne Maskell, who helps young people manage their daily ADHD challenges.

People with ADHD have irregular dopamine (the brain’s motivation/reward chemical), causing them to seek constant stimulation bursts.

Dr Sharpe’s experiment tested how 20 minutes of scrolling TikTok and Instagram affects attention. Zara and Leanne wore EEG caps (measuring brain waves) and eye-tracking glasses while watching short videos, comparing ADHD responses to neurotypical ones. The results showed a notable difference in Leanne’s brain activity and focus when compared to Zara.

Dr Benjamin Sharpe, Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Chichester explains: “Mobile scrolling appears to give ADHD brains quick rewards (dopamine hits), making their attention problems worse. Brain scans showed more theta waves (slow ‘daydreaming’ waves) and fewer beta waves (fast ‘focus’ waves) after scrolling. Eye movements became jumpy and couldn’t focus well, even after stopping. The constant new content prevents the brain from making enough beta waves for concentration. This trains the brain to need excitement, making normal tasks feel extremely boring – creating a cycle where the ADHD brain needs even MORE stimulation to feel normal.”

Leanne added: “If you have ADHD, your brain is chasing dopamine already, so it’s not surprising that this type of short video content is the most engaging and addictive content format, especially for a brain that is already seeking stimulation.”

The Human Attention Laboratory at the University of Chichester explores the fascinating world of human cognition, particularly how we maintain focus in an increasingly distracted world. Dr Sharpe’s research has a particular focus on sustained attention, but topics include stress and coping and cognitive impairment.

The full report is available to watch on the BBC Morning Live website and BBC iPlayer (scroll to 14:40)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002lg4y/morning-live-series-7-28102025