The impact of smartphone usage frequency on university students' academic performance: A meta-analysis of moderating factors

This meta-analysis investigates the impact of smartphone usage on university students' academic performance, with a focus on identifying moderating factors. A total of 45 studies were analyzed, revealing a small but statistically significant negative effect of smartphone usage frequency on academic performance (r = -0.12). Moderation analyses were conducted on variables such as the source of data, region, usage purpose, and terminological differences in measuring smartphone use. Results show that smartphone addiction and problematic use yield more pronounced negative impacts on academic outcomes compared to general usage measures. Furthermore, multitasking during class demonstrated the highest negative effect among smartphone-related behaviors. The study emphasizes the potential benefits of using objective data collection methods, such as app-based tracking, while acknowledging that self-reported measures can still offer valuable insights, though they may be influenced by recall bias. These findings call for targeted educational interventions, promoting information literacy and self-regulation in smartphone use, in order to mitigate the detrimental effects on academic performance. Future research should explore longitudinal designs and standardized measurement frameworks to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between smartphone use and academic success.