Impact of compulsive cell phone use on the attention and academic performance of high school and college students.

Abstract

A correlational study was conducted examining the relationship between smartphone addiction (compulsive use), attention span, and academic performance in a sample of 420 high school and college students in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. Validated instruments were used to measure cell phone addiction, sustained attention, and academic grades, and the data were analyzed using a structural equation model of mediation. The results show that compulsive cell phone use is significantly associated with a shorter attention span and a lower grade point average. Educational implications are discussed, and recommendations are proposed to mitigate the impact of cell phone addiction in school settings.