Impact of chronic portable screen use on auditory processing in working adults: A pilot cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Chronic use of portable digital devices (PDDs) has raised concerns regarding its impact on auditory processing under conditions of prolonged and divided attention. This pilot cross-sectional study investigated auditory processing abilities in fifteen working adults using a battery of auditory tests, with screen exposure assessed through a questionnaire and objectively verified device-based screen exposure records. Results No significant differences were observed across questionnaire-based screen exposure severity groups. However, when participants were categorized based on daily screen exposure duration, preliminary differences were observed in gap-in-noise test scores in the right ear ( p = 0.017) and duration pattern test scores in the left ear ( p = 0.038). Pairwise comparisons revealed poorer performance with increasing screen exposure duration. Conclusions Extended daily screen exposure may be associated with subtle declines in auditory temporal resolution and sequencing abilities in working adults. These findings are preliminary and require further investigation with larger samples and direct cognitive measures, given the increasing reliance on digital devices in occupational settings.