New research indicates that adolescents are spending an average of 70 minutes of their school day on their phones, contrary to the assumption that they are focused on academics. This study, conducted on American 13- to 18-year-olds and published by the journal JAMA, highlights a significant digital distraction during school hours, reports BritPanorama.
The lead author of the research, Dr. Jason Nagata, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, emphasized that this phone use occurs “literally during the school day when children and adolescents should be in classes” focused on learning. Previous studies also indicate that this phone usage forms a portion of the 8.5 hours teens typically spend on screen-based entertainment daily.
To gather this data, the researchers relied on an app that monitored phone usage rather than self-reported information, which is often unreliable. The results showed that teens primarily engaged with social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, dedicating nearly 15 minutes of each school day to gaming and video apps like YouTube.
While students sometimes justify their phone use as a means to assist with schoolwork, Nagata stated that the applications they utilize are “highly unlikely to be related to school assignments.” Despite many schools implementing restrictions on phone usage, the study suggests that students are finding ways to bypass these rules.
The research was limited to Android users, raising questions about iPhone usage patterns. It involved 640 adolescents, collecting data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study during certain weeks from September 2022 to May 2024. However, it did not account for rapidly changing phone policies at schools, prompting Nagata to suggest that further analysis is needed to explore the relationships between smartphone usage, evolving policies, and academic outcomes.
Don’t blame your kids. Help them change
Nagata asserted that the design of phones is inherently addictive, urging parents not to place blame on children for their usage at school. Instead, he recommends guiding them to develop the skill to resist these distractions.
One effective strategy could involve engaging children in discussions about phone rules, as they are more likely to adhere to regulations they help formulate. Teaching kids responsible technology use as they mature is also critical. An ideal solution suggested by Nagata is for children to either leave their phones at home or secure them in pouches upon arriving at school.
The primary risk lies in the misconception that phones enhance safety. Nagata pointed out that in an emergency, children would be better off alert and attentive rather than distracted by their devices. Moreover, the tendency to scroll through their phones while crossing streets or engaging with questionable online connections ultimately diminishes their safety.
How to convince them to let go
Encouraging children to minimize phone use during school can be approached positively. Melissa Greenberg, a clinical psychologist, suggested emphasizing the benefits of disengagement rather than presenting it as a loss. Families can try collectively putting their devices away for a few hours and discussing the experience. This practice might reveal how present they feel without the notifications.
For academic success, it is crucial to communicate how persistent distractions can hinder their performance. Nagata reiterated that if students are continuously sidetracked, they are less likely to excel in their studies.
Ultimately, parental behavior serves as a significant indicator of adolescent screen habits. Nagata advises parents to embody the phone usage behavior they wish to instill in their children.
