El impacto del uso excesivo de celular y falta de comunicación interpersonal en la zona rural en los estudiantes Básica y bachillerato

This article examines the impact of excessive mobile phone use and declining interpersonal communication on academic performance and socioemotional development among students in rural areas of Chimborazo, Ecuador. Using a quantitative approach, a questionnaire was administered to 80 elementary and high school students to assess the relationship between daily screen time, quality of face-to-face interactions, and perceived academic achievement. Results revealed a significant negative correlation (ρ = -0.42, p < 0.001) between screen exposure time and academic performance, along with increased social isolation among students with more than 3 hours of daily use. The study highlights a key paradox: while 70% of participants used social media for socialization, those without stable internet access reported lower satisfaction in interpersonal relationships (Mean=2.7 vs. 3.9). These findings are discussed within the theoretical framework of controlled disconnection (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2017) and the rural digital divide (INEC, 2022), proposing educational strategies that promote balanced technology use while preserving traditional communication skills. The research provides relevant evidence for public policy design in Latin American rural contexts.