ALBANY, NY – JANUARY 21: Gov. Kathy Hochul talks about cell phones in schools as she presents her 2026 executive budget at the New York State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
In the United States, school districts are increasingly implementing cellphone restrictions that range from requiring phones to be put away during classes to banning them throughout the entire school day. Approximately half of all states and Washington D.C. have enacted these “bell-to-bell” bans, with bipartisan support, due to concerns that smartphones may distract students and contribute to a mental health crisis among teenagers.
But what does scientific research reveal about the impact of cellphone use in schools on the mental health of children and adolescents?
The 2025 peer-reviewed research published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe, known as the SMART Schools study, assessed over 1,200 adolescents aged 12 to 15 from 30 secondary schools. The study found that students in schools with strict phone policies spent about 40 minutes less on their phones and 32 minutes less on social media during school hours. Despite this reduction, the researchers found no significant difference in the overall mental well-being between students in schools with restrictive and permissive phone policies. The study also indicated that students compensated for restricted phone use during school by increasing usage outside school hours. However, increased smartphone and social media use was linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and poor sleep.
There is valid concern about excessive phone use among students. Research consistently demonstrates that increased social media and screen time can lead to low self-esteem, online harassment, poor sleep, and heightened anxiety and depression. Heavy smartphone use can also negatively affect academic performance. A 2020 study involving over 11,000 adolescents showed that students using their phones for at least two hours on weekdays were more likely to perform poorly academically, with lower test scores in English and mathematics.
Despite these findings, the research has limitations. A 2025 peer-reviewed review in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe cautioned that much of the evidence linking smartphone use to adolescent mental health is correlational, meaning it cannot definitively prove that increased phone use causes mental health issues.
While removing smartphones can reduce classroom distractions, phones can also offer significant benefits for students. Research shows that social media and phones can help children and adolescents stay connected, fostering a sense of community, allowing self-expression, and promoting problem-solving skills.
Thus, banning phones in schools is neither a complete solution nor a mistake regarding the mental health of children and adolescents. It is an environmental intervention whose impact depends significantly on how phone use is managed outside of school, such as at home.
An effective strategy for schools might involve combining phone restrictions with digital literacy education. This education should address the pros and cons of social media use for mental health. Additionally, promoting face-to-face socialization can help students build friendships and relationships. Parents should also be actively involved in managing their children’s social media and phone use at home, teaching them to recognize when technology is beneficial and when it poses health risks.
As the new school year begins, more states and school districts are choosing to limit phone use. Whether these measures lead to healthier and happier children and adolescents remains an unresolved scientific question.
