Research by Reykjavik University associate professor published in prestigious scientific journal: Phone bans alone do not improve adolescent mental health

A study led by Dr. Þórhildur Halldórsdóttir, an associate professor at Reykjavik University's Department of Psychology and a clinical child psychologist, has been published in the prestigious scientific journal JAMA Network Open.

The findings of the study, conducted by a team of Icelandic and North American researchers, suggest that banning phone use in schools does not significantly improve adolescents’ well-being.

“Concerns about adolescents’ well-being have made phone bans an attractive option for schools, since they are visible and relatively easy to implement. However, our findings suggest that phone bans alone are not enough to improve adolescents’ well-being,” says Þórhildur.

The study used data from surveys conducted nationwide by Rannsóknir og greining (Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis) in 2016, 2018, and 2023. In total, the study was based on responses from 24,000 adolescents aged 13–15 across 70 schools. Of these 70 schools, 22 introduced phone bans between 2018 and 2023. Changes in students’ well-being were examined over the years, and the researchers then compared whether these changes differed between schools that introduced phone bans and those that did not.

No significant changes in well-being

The study found no significant changes in symptoms of depression, anxiety, irritability, or psychological well-being in schools that introduced phone bans compared with schools that did not.

Other factors were also examined, including the frequency of cyberbullying and in-person bullying, neither of which changed. There was also no difference in the level of social support adolescents reported experiencing, regardless of whether a phone ban had been introduced.

One of the most comprehensive studies to date

Schools around the world have introduced bans on students’ phone use during school hours, partly in response to concerns about the effects of smartphones on adolescent well-being. Until now, however, most research supporting such measures has focused on academic performance rather than well-being, and few studies have been based on population-wide data collected both before and after phone bans were introduced.

“The study is based on a large sample that is highly representative of the population, and it examines changes over time both before and after the introduction of phone bans. This strong research design makes it one of the most comprehensive studies to date on the relationship between school phone bans and adolescent well-being,” says Þórhildur.