What parents need to know
Test scores in maths, reading, and science fell significantly more in countries where students spent more time using devices during the school day. The international pattern is clear: more device use = lower scores.
Full Citation
Twenge, J.M. (2025). International Declines in Academic Performance and Increase in Loneliness are Linked to Electronic Devices. Journal of Adolescence (in press).
Publication Type
Peer-reviewed research article in Journal of Adolescence
What They Studied
Professor Twenge analysed international test score data from multiple countries, examining the relationship between students’ electronic device use during school hours and changes in academic performance over time. The study investigated whether countries where students reported higher levels of device use for leisure during the school day showed greater declines in standardized test scores compared to countries with lower device use.
Key Findings
- Standardised test scores in maths, reading, and science fell significantly more in countries where students spent more time using electronic devices for leisure purposes during the school day than in countries where they spent less time
- The international pattern is consistent and clear: increased device use during school correlates with steeper academic declines
- The study provides cross-national evidence that device distraction is a systematic problem, not isolated to particular schools or education systems
- Countries that have maintained stricter controls on device use during school hours have seen smaller declines in academic performance
- The findings suggest that allowing students to use devices for non-educational purposes during the school day has contributed to the global decline in academic achievement
- This international comparison provides strong evidence that device distraction is causally related to declining academic performance, not merely correlated with it
