Limiting phones in schools may have minimal benefits, study suggests

Restricting pupils’ phone use in school didn’t lead to better grades or mental well-being, a UK study found.

Researchers followed 1,227 students in 30 high schools with different phone policies: They found that students in restrictive schools used their phones a little less during the school day, but the rules didn’t impact their overall use, or their sleep time, anxiety, depression, or wellbeing.

One author said the results suggested policymakers should “do more than focus on schools alone,” but another psychologist argued that “reducing phone/social media time is probably not helpful” and that perceived links between more phone use and poorer wellbeing in young people are likely just a correlation.