Schoolwide Phone Bans Show No Significant Mental Health Impact, Study Finds
Study: Schoolwide phone bans show no significant impact on mental health
A study of Icelandic youth aged 13 to 15, surveyed in 2016, 2018, and 2023, found that schoolwide phone bans had no significant effect on mental health. Commenters note the research didn't control for medication, vitamin D, or light therapy, and suggest that in a country dark half the year, phone access may simply not be the dominant factor in teen wellbeing.
When it's dark for half the year your mental health isn't dominated by phone access.
- alienbaby
Ok, but how about student grades? I wouldn't have expected any impact on mental health resulting from a school ban considering the exposure they get every other hour of the day.
- jswelker
The bans are very lackadaisically enforced, and this is in a state where the ban is actually mandated by law (Missouri). My daughter says in high school kids regularly have phones out in class. And a ban even if enforced would not keep kids off these harmful platforms for the many other hours in the day.
Why anyone would expect phone bans to improve mental health is beyond me when the majority of phone use is not happening at school.
Improve grades, improve classroom behavior, maybe. What about those?
- phyzix5761
We live in a society that makes chasing after pleasure very easy therefore nothing feels special or fulfilling anymore. You have to make a serious effort to limit yourself on what you experience. Not because you lack the resources or you're some kind of religious zealot. But because you give yourself the opportunity to truly enjoy little things when you can't have them all the time.
- dustfinger
Here is a thought. Perhaps phones are not the root issue. Look at the state of society right now. So many of us are ideologically divided to the point where people are afraid to be themselves. This is not an environment where the youth flourish.
- soon_to_be_sb
Are we willing to trade off the convenience of perpetual connectivity to increased well being?
Two things.
1. There is no evidence. Mostly because Well being cannot be really quantified.
2. Convenience and comforts trumps well being. Basic human nature. Are we willing to teach kids abstract concepts such as wisdom and "nishkamakarma" so that they will have well being instead of conveniences and comforts? They will be less of a "knowledge worker" and more of a philosopher. They will consume vastly less, thus would hurt the current system of capitalistic indulgence.
We are not willing to do any of these. At the root, it is you that is causing your unwellbeingness...But you can't change. Deal with it. Stop the whining! Let the kids have what ever fun they want..Don't snatch the phones from their hands. Teach them stuff so that they can see it for what it is (an instrument of manipulators and exploiters), that they are repelled by it.
Yeah...I am ok.