Study: Teens use cellphones for an hour a day at school | EurekAlert!

U.S. adolescents spend more than one hour per day on smartphones during school hours, with social media accounting for the largest share of use, according to  research published Jan. 5, 2026, in JAMA . The findings have relevance for educators, parents and policymakers.  The study reflects the behavior of 640 adolescents ages 13-18 who were enrolled in the  Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study . They and their parents had consented to have software placed on their Android cellphones that allowed use to be passively monitored. Usage was measured between September 2022 and May 2024.   Key findings:  Adolescents spent an average of 1.16 hours per day on smartphones during school hours.  Social media apps Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat accounted for most use, followed by YouTube and games.  Older adolescents (16–18) and those from lower-income households showed higher smartphone use, compared to peers of the same age.  “These apps are designed to be addictive. They deprive students of the opportunity to be fully engaged in class and to hone their social skills with classmates and teachers,” said Dr.  Dimitri Christakis , the paper’s senior author.  He is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and practices at Seattle Children’s
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