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Cellphones, Social Media and Mental Health

A recent NEA survey asked educators about the impact on their students.
screentime teens
By: NEA
Published: November 2024 Last Updated: January 2025
This article originally appeared on NEA.org

Educators Speak Out on Social Media, Cellphones, and Mental Health

NEA surveyed 2,889 members working in K–12 schools about the impact of cellphones and social media on their students. The spring 2024 survey identified four main areas of concern: student mental health, student safety and behavior, social skills, and the overall learning environment. Here’s what these NEA members had to say:

More than 90% feel that students’ mental health is a serious issue at their school and that things have gotten worse in the last few years.
The vast majority say students are:
having trouble concentrating: 83%
acting out: 81%
not showing up to school: 75%
40% say cyberbullying is their biggest concern about students’ social media use.
84% say social media contributes to students’ mental health issues, and 81% say cellphones are a contributor.
73% of teachers in schools where students have access to cellphones and personal devices report disruptions in their classes.
38% are concerned that social media prevents students from developing social skills.

For the complete survey results, visit nea.org/impact. For more resources, go to NEA.org/Healthy-Schools.  

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