None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The past decade has seen a rapid increase in mobile smartphone ownership, particularly among adolescents. Smartphone has been associated with mental health disorders (such as anxiety and depression), cyberbullying, poor sleep habits, poor posture and neck problems, and problematic mobile phone use (smartphone addiction), together with a decrease in general wellbeing, ability to concentrate (including in school time) and lower levels of physical activity. There have been increasing concerns regarding smartphone use among adolescents and the potential impact on health and wellbeing, including some concerns on the impact of smartphone use at school on educational and health outcomes. For example, concerns have been raised regarding students’ mobile phone use during school hours (in the classroom and playground) as a significant source of disruption impacting on attention and learning. Banning or restricting access to smartphone use in schools has been recommended by Governments across the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and in some Australian states as a potentially effective strategy to improve student health, well-being, and learning. With a change of Government in NSW, the introduction of policy within Government secondary schools, to restrict access to mobile phones during school hours, has been announced to commence from Term 4, 2023 (October). However, despite the introduction of Government policy to address the concerns surrounding mobile phone use amongst adolescents, research examining the school and student level impact of such initiatives is sparse, and so the suggested benefits are largely speculative. Prior to the introduction of new policies, a unique opportunity exists to address a current international evidence gap and undertake rigorous research to quantify the school and student level impacts of smartphone restrictions in secondary schools as well as to understand key stakeholder (teachers, parents, and students) attitudes towards and barriers to the implementation of such policy. To date, no such research has been undertaken in Australia or internationally. This study aims: to evaluate the efficacy of a secondary school environmental intervention to Restrict Access to Mobile Phones (RAMP) during school hours on student wellbeing, educational and health outcomes, and to determine the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the intervention from a teacher, parent/carer, and student perspective. A parallel-group cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted in secondary schools located across New South Wales (NSW). Schools allocated to the intervention group will participate in an environmental intervention designed to support the implementation of a school-level policy to restrict access to mobile phones for secondary school students during school hours.
Interventions
A parallel-group cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted in ten secondary schools located across New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The intervention will last for approximately 3 months and will involve measurement at baseline, approximately 3- and 12-month post-baseline (long-term follow-up). This study will recruit students (years 7-12), teachers and parents/carers.
The intervention will consist of:
1. The introduction of a school-level policy to restrict access to mobil
A parallel-group cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted in ten secondary schools located across New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The intervention will last for approximately 3 months and will involve measurement at baseline, approximately 3- and 12-month post-baseline (long-term follow-up). This study will recruit students (years 7-12), teachers and parents/carers. The intervention will consist of: 1. The introduction of a school-level policy to restrict access to mobile phones for students during school hours. Schools will develop a school-level mobile phone policy and support the development of an implementation approach for the policy. An implementation approach that is suitable to the school will be selected by the Principal based on methods commonly used by secondary schools that have previously implemented such policies. Implementation methods may vary based on schools’ preferences and may include: • The introduction of lockable mobile phone pouches upon entry to the school, • Requiring mobile phones be placed in school bags and in class mobile phone boxes during school hours. The research team will work with schools to support the implementation of the policy and provide additional support if such assistance is required/requested (e.g. ongoing implementation support, meetings with the staff, and help in developing a smartphone restriction policy). At the end of the school day, students will be able to unlock their devices upon leaving school or remove phones from school bags/in-class boxes. 2. A short education session, in the form of a five-minute video, outlining the rationale, context, and evidence for reducing access to mobile phones during school hours. In addition to the above, we will also make available for schools interested, an educational video that could be implemented with all teachers (via an existing staff meeting), students (during PDHE lessons), and parents/carers (via existing digital communication channels). Adherence will be monitored during school-based observations and during support meetings with the schools through the key contact person.
Sponsors
The University of Newcastle
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
11 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Secondary schools will be eligible to participate if they: • Cater for students from Years 7-12, • Have at least 50 students per year group, • Are a Government, Catholic or Independent school, • Do not currently implement an existing mobile phone ban or restriction policy; and • Can participate in the study throughout 2023 and including a follow-up in 2024 • Not classified as a special education school, which caters solely to students with developmental, physical, or behavioural disabilities Children will be eligible to participate if they: • Attend a school that consents to the study; and • Are in years 7-12. Parents/carers will be eligible to participate if they: • Are the primary carer of a student in years 7-12; and • The child in their care attends a school that has consented to the study. Teachers will be eligible to participate if they: • Are permanent or contract teacher at a school that has consented to participate; and • Teaches a year 7-12 class over the intervention period.
Exclusion criteria
• Schools that currently implement a mobile phone ban or restriction policy, • Cannot participate in the study throughout 2023 and including a follow-up in 2024, • Schools that are classified as special education schools, which cater solely to students with developmental, physical, or behavioural disabilities.
Outcome results
None listed