The relationship between academic achievement and off-task social media and smartphone usage: Evidence from a systematic literature review

Systematic cumulative evidence on the effects of the off-task recreational use of social media and smartphones on academic performance among children and adolescents is limited. We conducted a systematic literature review on the impact of off-task usage of smartphones on school achievement among children and adolescents between seven and 18 years, following the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines. The literature search was conducted using three electronic databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and Ebscohost. Studies published between January 2013 and June 2025 were included in the search. The systematic review included 34 studies. Results suggested an interrelation between off-task smartphone and social media use and academic achievement, and the relationships detected were negative in most of the studies reviewed.