Students in schools that prohibit phone usage during the school day might not be experiencing enhanced mental health and wellbeing. The first global study on this topic has indicated that merely banning smartphones does not effectively address their negative effects.
Students in schools that prohibit phone usage during the school day might not be experiencing enhanced mental health and wellbeing. The first global study on this topic has indicated that simply banning smartphones does not effectively address their negative effects.
A groundbreaking study published today (Wednesday, February 5) in Lancet Regional Health Europe involved 1,227 students from 30 schools in England. They shared information regarding smartphone and social media usage, along with various mental health, wellbeing, and other indicators. Out of the participating schools, 20 had different forms of phone restrictions implemented.
The study, backed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), showed no notable differences in outcomes for students at schools that forbid smartphone use throughout the day, including:
- Mental wellbeing, anxiety, and depression levels
- Physical activity and sleep patterns
- Educational achievements in English and Math, as well as occurrences of disruptive behavior in classrooms
While smartphone bans in schools resulted in a slight reduction in phone usage (around 40 minutes less) and social media engagement (approximately 30 minutes less) during school hours, the study indicates that this effect is minimal. The policies aimed at stopping recreational phone usage did not significantly decrease the total time spent using phones and social media outside school hours.
Dr. Victoria Goodyear, Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and the lead author of the study, stated:
“This is the first global study of its kind to assess the effects of school phone policies on adolescent mental health and wellbeing, alongside other health and educational outcomes.
“We found a correlation between extended phone and social media usage and poorer outcomes, evidenced by diminished mental wellbeing and mental health, reduced physical activity, poor sleep quality, lower academic performance, and increased disruptive behavior in the classroom.
“This indicates that reducing screen time is crucial. However, it is essential to do more than just focus on schools; we should consider phone use both inside and outside of school throughout the entire day and week.”
Data was collected over a span of 12 months ending in November 2023 from 20 schools with stricter phone policies and 10 schools with more lenient rules, where phone usage was allowed during breaks, lunch, or in designated areas (like outdoor spaces). The ratio of two restrictive schools for every one permissive school was established, as the majority of schools in the study region had restrictive policies (n=1245) compared to a few that were permissive (n=96).
Health-related metrics included validated assessments of mental wellbeing, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, academic performance in English and Math, as well as disruptive behavior in classrooms, alongside objective measures of physical activity and sleep.
On average, students in both types of schools (permissive and restrictive) used smartphones for about 4-6 hours daily.
Professor Miranda Pallan from the University of Birmingham, a senior author of the paper, added:
“Our research indicates that school policies are not a definitive solution for mitigating the negative impacts of smartphone and social media usage.
“The findings show that imposing strict policies on recreational phone use in schools does not improve student outcomes, but prioritizing the overall management of phone usage should be essential for enhancing adolescents’ health and wellbeing.”
