Research Finds New Insights Into Teen Smartphone Use
Feb. 5, 2025 - As a parent, you might wonder what your teen is up to during math class, after soccer practice or while hanging out with friends. While equipping your teen with a smartphone can aid communication and provide a sense of safety, a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics finds these devices, unchecked, may be more distracting than you think.
Sleuthing Smartphone Use
Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH, a researcher at Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, and colleagues recently concluded a study investigating smartphone use by adolescents. This study sought to not only understand how often teens were tuning into their smartphones, but also what they were doing online. Participants from 13 to 18 years and their parents opted in to an app that tracked their activities and collected data throughout the school day.
The research revealed adolescents spent an average of 1.5 hours on smartphones during their 6.5 hours of school, accounting for 27% of their average 24-hour phone use. While length of screen time is an important factor in evaluating smartphone use, this research took a step further to better understand exactly what teens were doing on their phones. Data showed that social media and text messaging were highly used throughout the school day, lessening in-person engagement.
“In a world increasingly dominated by screen use, we need to create opportunities for children to be authentically present. Screen time during school hours is displacing classroom learning and real-time interaction with peers, both of which are important.”
Calling for Change
The research comes as many school districts across the U.S. are evaluating, implementing or changing policies around students’ phone use during school hours. Late last year, phone restrictions started to show positive results at at least one Washington middle school. When students limit phone usage during school hours, administrative staff cite “transformative” changes in the teacher-student relationship.
This is one of several studies aiming to explore screen time use in kids across varying levels of developmental milestones. Building upon current research, Dr. Christakis emphasizes the importance of considering digital media in relation to evaluating adolescent development. While smartphone use benefits accelerated communication with others, negative effects of smartphone use persist, such as cyberbullying, mental health issues and distractions to learning.
“This research sheds light on current smartphone use among teens so we can better understand how to support healthy media consumption in youth,” Dr. Christakis said.
— Empress Rivera-Ruiz
Further Reading
About Seattle Children’s Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development
Researchers at Seattle Children’s Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development work with families, communities and healthcare providers to address the mental, physical and behavioral health of children globally. The center’s multidisciplinary researchers focus on a broad range of areas related to child health and development providing insights into improving children’s well-being. Learn more.