Reels to Remembrance: Attention Partially Mediates the Relationship Between Short-Form Video Addiction and Memory Function Among Youth
In simple words
In a survey of over 1,000 university students in Jordan, half showed moderate to high signs of short-video addiction. Students with higher addiction scores reported more memory problems, partly through weaker attention, and tended to have lower grades. The study cannot tell which came first.
What the research says
Half of participants showed moderate-to-high short-form video addiction, with higher scores among female and younger students, those with lower GPAs (p = 0.013) and those who studied fewer hours (p = 0.006). Attention partially mediated the association between addiction and memory function, but did not moderate it.
What it does not establish
The cross-sectional design prevents conclusions about which came first or about causation. Measures were survey-based, and the sample was a mostly female university population.
Why it matters to us
Adds Middle Eastern evidence linking compulsive short-video use to self-reported attention and memory difficulties and lower grades. These are associations: students who are struggling may also turn to short videos more, rather than the reverse.
This is REELFREE NATION’s interpretation, not a finding of the study.
Corrections
[2026-10-11] Added an “In simple words” summary.