"Coming of age alongside smartphones, however, has been linked to high rates of mental health concerns among Gen Z. A 2024 brief by the National Center for Health Statistics found that half of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 spent four or more hours on screens per day, and those teens were more likely to experience anxiety or depression symptoms."
"By the numbers: Students, in large part, are aware of their heavy device use and its potential link to poor academic outcomes. A fall 2025 survey by Echelon Insights found that 54 percent of U.S. students say they spend five hours or more on recreational screen time, including scrolling social media, streaming or gaming. Of those students, 18 percent say they spend over six hours on their devices doing non-coursework-related tasks."
Many college students grew up with smartphones, the internet, and social media and exhibit heavy daily screen use. A 2024 brief by the National Center for Health Statistics found half of teenagers ages 12–17 spent four or more hours on screens daily and were more likely to experience anxiety or depression symptoms. In 2025, 32 percent of college students reported moderate or severe anxiety and 37 percent reported moderate or severe depression. Schools increasingly adopt phone-free policies to support interpersonal skills and brain development. Surveys show 54 percent of U.S. students spend five or more recreational screen hours daily, and many believe smartphones hurt academic performance. Finding ways to unplug remains difficult.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]