The Need for Autonomy, Safety, and Structure: A Qualitative Study of Adolescent Perspectives on School Phone Restrictions

OBJECTIVE: Despite increasing adoption and expansion of school phone restrictions, evidence supporting the efficacy of these regulations is equivocal. We aim to understand how student experiences and attitudes shape their reactions to phone regulations in schools. METHODS: Thirty adolescents, ages 16 to 19, from diverse backgrounds were recruited via social media. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted via videoconference and transcribed. Authors coded and analyzed transcripts to create a grounded theory-informed model illustrating how students experienced and responded to phone restrictions. RESULTS: Analysis yielded four main themes: the need for autonomy, threats to safety, the utility of structure, and practical uses of phones in the school environment. Participants met their need for autonomy through independently engaging in schoolwork or defying regulations. In unsafe school environments, phone access felt protective. Some students needed structure to resist the urge to use phones during class and non-instructional time. When phones are banned, important academic and social functions currently filled by them were often left unaddressed. We developed a model illustrating how these needs and gaps interact and impact attitudes towards and compliance with restrictions. CONCLUSIONS: The degree to which students' needs are met shapes how they perceive phone use at school, ultimately impacting their response to phone restrictions. Implementing policies responsive to these needs within a school's local context may optimize interventions aimed at creating phone-free school environments.