Banning Mobiles : Impact On School Children

A recent study by the University of Birmingham has revealed that banning smartphones during school hours does not necessarily lead to improved mental health or academic performance among students.  

The SMART Schools Study 

The SMART Schools study, conducted by the University of Birmingham, set out to evaluate whether banning phone use throughout the school day leads to better mental health and wellbeing among adolescents. Given growing concerns over the potential negative effects of excessive smartphone use, such as increased anxiety and depression, disrupted sleep, reduced physical activity, lower academic performance, and greater classroom distractions, many schools have introduced restrictive phone policies. However, despite these widespread bans, there has been little empirical evidence assessing their actual effectiveness.