THE trend for children to multitask by juggling an array of electronic gadgets is severely damaging their levels of concentration, scientists have warned.

Studies at the Kaiser Family Foundation, based in California, have found that children spend a steady 6.5 hours a day using electronic media, but pack 8.5 hours media exposure into that time.

Rocketing use of the internet, iPods, mobile phones and DVDs lies behind that finding, which has earned multitasking children the label “Generation M”.

Now scientists have confirmed the belief of many parents that it is impossible to concentrate on more than one thing at the same time. They found that children tackling homework while sending messages via the internet can end up spending 50% longer than if they had done each task separately.

David E Meyer, professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Michigan, said true multitasking is only possible for simple activities such as ironing and listening to the radio. He conducted experiments demonstrating that young adults who had to switch between various maths problems wasted significant amounts of time.

Meyer said: “For cases involving more complex tasks — especially requiring language — then genuine no-cost multitasking is essentially impossible . . . the total time taken to get all the tasks done will increase greatly.”

“Over long periods it can stress you out and lead to mental and physical dysfunction, as often happens with air-traffic controllers.”

Other researchers believe that the rise of multitasking in the home may be affecting family relationships.

Elinor Ochs, an anthropologist leading the Center on Everyday Lives of Families project at the University of California Los Angeles, said: “When the working parent comes through the door, the other spouse and kids are so absorbed by what they are doing they don’t give the arriving parent the time of day.”

However Sarah Hymas, 46, a married mother of three from south London, said that her 14-year-old daughter Katharine had developed into an “amazing” multitasker although this could make dragging her to the dinner table a struggle.

Katharine said: “I can cook, listen to music, do my homework and listen to my mum at the same time . . .

I can do six things on my computer and be in control of them all. And I can be on the house phone, and text and listen to my iPod at the same time.”

Stephen Monsell, professor of cognitive psychology at Exeter University, questioned how well children can study in such cases. He said: “If you want to think profoundly about one thing, you have to concentrate for a long time. If you are answering your mobile phone every five minutes, it’s less likely a thoughtful, coherent piece of work will emerge.”

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