Study shows teens use phones more than an hour a day at school

High school students in the United States are between the ages of 13 and 18 More than an hour a day On phones during school hours, according to research conducted by the University of Washington School of Medicine, as published in the journal Journal of the American Medical Association on monday. Social media apps are designed to be addictive, researchers say.

The study tracked Android smartphone use by 640 teens between September 2022 and May 2024, with parental consent. Data shows that teens spend an average of 1.16 hours per day on their smartphones while at school. Social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are the most widely used, followed by YouTube and video games. Interestingly, older teens, ages 16 to 18, from low-income families had higher smartphone use than other students surveyed.

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“These apps are designed to be addictive,” the doctor said. “They deprive students of the opportunity to fully participate in class and hone their social skills with their classmates and teachers.” Dimitri Christakissenior author of the paper, said in a press release. Some states and school districts have already imposed restrictions on phone use and outright bans, although Christakis says more needs to be done.

“So far, it has been applied very poorly, if at all,” Christakis said. “I believe the United States must recognize the generational implications of depriving children of learning opportunities in school.”

Phone use in teens remains controversial

The new data comes as American education confronts the spread of smartphone use among children and teens. Social media apps that automatically pull up algorithmic content for instant entertainment release dopamine in the brain, according to research by Brown University. This creates a positive feedback loop, which can keep phone users locked in. The rush to quickly digested entertainment leads to decreased concentration and attention span, according to a study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

The widespread use of smartphones among teenagers continues Low math and reading scoreswhich was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many school districts are experimenting Explicit phone blocking. Others argue that phones, when used properly, It can benefit students in the classroomThanks to educational apps.

Thirty-five states and Washington, D.C Have some sort of phone blocking policy in effect, and 74% of adults They say they would support banning phones in middle and high schools.

The proposal Conjunctive lawwith the aim of reducing the distraction of smartphones and personal electronic devices in public schools, and Focus on the law of learningwhich aims to study and address the impact of mobile device use in schools, has not yet reached the White House for final consideration.