Use of Cell Phones During Study Hours and Academic Performance

Abstract

Justification: Mobile devices in students’ daily lives have changed the way they study. It has become increasingly common for them to use their cell phones while doing schoolwork. This practice departs from traditional study methods, raising concerns about how these digital distractions may affect their learning. Objective: Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between cell phone use during study hours and academic performance among secondary and higher education students. Methodology: The research adopted a quantitative approach with a non-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional design. A total of 244 students from four educational institutions participated, selected through purposive sampling. The Questionnaire on Cell Phone Use and Academic Performance in Students (CUCRA-24) was administered, validated by experts (Aiken’s V = 0.92) and with α = 0.972. Results: A total of 85.7% of participants showed a high level of cell phone use, and 66.4% exhibited low academic performance. The correlation analysis revealed a negative and significant relationship between the two variables (r = –0.825; p < 0.001), indicating that higher cell phone use is associated with lower academic performance. Conclusion: The findings show a consistent inverse relationship between the variables and provide empirical evidence supporting the need for continued research on the effects of technology use on student learning.