School phone bans may actually harm some students’ mental health

Concerns persist regarding excessive screen time and its potential to disrupt learning through smartphone distractions in schools. However, a recent study has revealed that a complete smartphone ban might make some students feel isolated, at least in the short term.

“When schools choose to enforce a blanket ban on smartphones, it is crucial to be mindful of certain consequences,” warns Sanyogita Khare from Radboud University in the Netherlands. “Socially vulnerable students may find it particularly challenging and might experience greater feelings of disconnection from classmates.”

Mobile devices have been scrutinized for a range of adverse effects, including lower academic performance and a decline in adolescent mental health. Despite the lack of strong evidence substantiating these claims, the Netherlands instituted a ban on smartphones and similar devices in classrooms starting January 1, 2024. Many schools have additionally restricted usage throughout the entire school day, often requiring students to leave their devices locked away.

To investigate the impact of this policy, Khare and her research team conducted surveys among students in two secondary schools that had enforced a smartphone ban throughout the school day. The first survey took place in December 2023, preceding the nationwide ban, and a follow-up was conducted in March or April 2024.

Through this research, they assessed two distinct types of loneliness: social and emotional. “Social loneliness refers to feeling part of a larger group,” explains Khare. “Emotional loneliness, on the other hand, relates to a sense of intimacy and closeness within friendships.”

The findings were varied when researchers compared the levels of loneliness before and after the ban. “There was no significant overall change in social loneliness, but we observed a mild rise in emotional loneliness,” reported Khare. This increase could stem from the absence of close friends at school, making it harder for some students to connect during the school hours.

Furthermore, while total social loneliness among students remained stable, those who previously faced difficulties in social situations became more socially isolated. Khare notes that these effects might not be long-lasting as students could adapt to the ban eventually.

One limitation of the research is that the study did not include comparison schools in the Netherlands with more lenient policies that allow for phone usage during break times, as pointed out by Jonathan Cantor from RAND, a non-profit research institute based in California. “To draw valid conclusions, we need comparable data from similar schools that do not enforce a ban,” he emphasizes. “Without such information, it is difficult to determine if the observed results reflect larger trends.”

Both Khare and Cantor highlight the dearth of comprehensive data regarding the repercussions of phone bans in educational settings. Cantor and his team have been actively researching this issue by examining phone prohibitions in American schools where regulations are not uniform.

Their analysis indicates that policies vary widely, with some institutions outright banning phones, while others permit students to use them under teacher supervision. In the UK, official guidelines discourage the use of mobile devices in schools, yet it is left to individual school leaders to choose whether or not to implement a ban.

“The current challenge lies in the fact that for effective evaluation of these policies, we require detailed information regarding the nature of the policies and their implementation timeline,” states Cantor. “This is a priority for analysis in the field.”