A new study in the Netherlands suggests that banning smartphones in schools could lead to increased emotional loneliness among some students, particularly those with social vulnerabilities. Researchers surveyed students before and after a nationwide ban took effect in January 2024. While social loneliness remained stable overall, emotional isolation slightly rose, highlighting potential unintended mental health impacts.
The Netherlands implemented a nationwide ban on phones and smart devices in classrooms starting 1 January 2024, with some schools extending the prohibition throughout the day by requiring students to store devices in lockers. To assess the effects, Sanyogita Khare at Radboud University and her colleagues surveyed students at two secondary schools that enforced full-day bans. The surveys occurred in December 2023, before the ban, and again in March or April 2024.
The study measured two types of loneliness: social, which involves feeling part of a broader group, and emotional, which concerns closeness in friendships. "Social loneliness is more about the broader network; whether you feel part of a group," Khare explained. "Emotional loneliness taps into more the feeling of closeness and intimacy in a close friendship."
Results showed no overall change in social loneliness but a slight increase in emotional loneliness. This may stem from students being unable to contact close friends outside their school during the day. Additionally, students who already struggled with social situations experienced greater social loneliness post-ban. "We didn’t find an overall change in social loneliness, but we found a slight increase in emotional loneliness," Khare noted. She added that these effects might be temporary as students adjust.
Khare warned, "If schools do decide to implement a total smartphone ban, there are some things that they should watch out for. Socially vulnerable youth might struggle a little bit more. Students might feel a little bit more disconnected from their friends."
Jonathan Cantor at RAND, a US non-profit, pointed out a limitation: the study lacked comparisons to schools without bans. "We need data on similar students from similar schools without a ban to make meaningful comparisons," he said. Phone policies vary globally; in the US, they range from total bans to teacher discretion, while UK guidance discourages use but leaves decisions to school leaders. Both experts stressed the need for more detailed data on policy implementation and effects.
The findings are preliminary, published as a preprint on PsyArXiv (DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/d7jrk_v1).