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Why Phone Distraction Matters

Evidence‑based insights into smartphones and student outcomes.

Students spend more than 20 minutes per 75‑minute class on their phones [1]
20 min75 min
Meta‑analysis shows that problematic smartphone use correlates with lower grades (r ≈ −0.11) [2]
Low phone useAMediumBHighC
It can take up to 20 minutes to refocus after a single text [3]
20 minRefocus
[1] astlyi.s3.ap-northeast-2.amazonaws.com
[2] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[3] bu.edu

Mental Health & Equity Impact

Mental Health

Constant notifications fuel anxiety and fear of missing out. Studies show heavy phone use correlates with depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption [1] [2].

Low phone useHigh phone useAnxiety ↑
Up to 32 % of teenage girls feel worse about their bodies after using social media [3]

Relationships & Equity

Smartphone addiction strains parent–child relationships [4]. Research shows low‑achieving students benefit the most from phone restrictions [5].

Low-achieving+6.4%High-achieving+2.1%
[1] columbiapsychiatry.org
[2] theclassicjournal.uga.edu
[3] world-education-blog.org
[4] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[5] newsroom.carleton.ca