A study has shown that school phone usage policies that restrict use are not linked to improved student mental health, and managing phone use can take schools over 100 hours a week. Researchers from the University of Birmingham concluded that there is no statistically significant difference in anxiety, sadness, and optimism scores among eighth and tenth graders in high schools with more permissive mobile phone policies compared to those with more restrictive ones. This comes as governments worldwide discuss or even plan to ban social media use for those under 16, similar to the policy in Australia. The study included 20 high schools, selected based on key characteristics, 13 of which implemented restrictive phone usage policies and seven with more permissive policies. Schools that allowed phone use during breaks, for example, were classified as having more permissive policies, while schools with restrictive policies were those that banned phone use throughout the school day or on school grounds. Schools enforcing stricter rules reported spending an average of 102 hours per week on implementing these rules and imposing behavioral penalties for violations. However, schools with more lenient rules reported spending an average of 108 hours managing phone use, dedicating more time to tasks like policy enforcement and recording phone-related incidents. The researchers noted that the results highlight the need for new approaches to managing phones in schools. Professor Victoria Goodyear, lead researcher on the University of Birmingham's Smart Schools study, stated: "Whether phone use policies in schools are permissive or restrictive, they place a significant burden on the school when implemented." She added: "The high proportion of teachers' time spent managing phone use or related behaviors during the school day could be redirected to other activities that enhance student well-being, such as socio-emotional support or extracurricular activities. Therefore, we need new methods to address teenagers' use of smartphones in schools." The researchers also pointed out that restrictive phone policies save schools some money due to reduced time spent on monitoring compliance. The cost of restrictive policies is estimated to be about £94 ($128) less per student annually compared to more lenient policies. Professor Harith Al-Janabi, the study's lead author and head of the Health Economics Unit at the University of Birmingham, said: "Although there is a slight difference in the resources required to implement a restrictive policy, we fully recognize that monitoring phone use is a significant burden on schools, and that a stricter policy is not a magic solution." The study's data was collected between 2022 and 2023, before the UK government issued non-statutory guidance banning phone use in schools.
