University of North Carolina Study Reveals Adolescents Spend One Third of School Hours on Smartphones

UNC Chapel Hill research links frequent smartphone checking in school to weaker attention and poor cognitive control in adolescents. Read the full study results.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 11:51 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Source received: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Study finds teens spend nearly one-third of the school day on smartphones, with frequent checking linked to poorer attention. Ready to edit.

1. HEADLINE

University of North Carolina Study Reveals Adolescents Spend One Third of School Hours on Smartphones

2. SUMMARY

A new study by researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill found that middle and high school students spend nearly 30% of their school day on mobile devices, primarily for social media. The findings establish a direct link between frequent phone checking and significantly weaker cognitive control and attention spans among students.

3. CONTENT