Academic Success
An observational study of middle school, high school, and college students shows how easily young people are distracted by technology... Observers recorded minute-by-minute activities over a 15-min period and found that participants averaged less than 6 min on their main task before being distracted by technology such as checking their social media and texting with friends. After a ban on phones in high schools, students in the lowest quartile improved by 14.23%
Mental Health
A cross-sectional study of almost 500 adolescents (age = 11–15) found a positive association between social media use and poorer sleep quality, anxiety, and depression; this association was even more pronounced for adolescents who had higher levels of emotional investment in social media.
The mere presence of smartphones diminishes the attention resources for engaging with the task at hand. Defined and protected periods of separation from devices are recommended to reduce interruptions and to increase available cognitive capacity.