College students replace smartphones with brick phones as part of ground-breaking research

11 March 2025

A group of 55 students from Birkenhead Sixth Form College have signed up to take part in a unique research project conducted by University of York. Over the next three weeks, the students will give up their smartphones and social media in an effort to understand the effects of a digital detox on various aspects of their well-being, including sleep quality, mood, alertness, and overall mental health.

The study aims to shed light on how constant smartphone use and social media engagement is impacting the sleep patterns and emotional well-being of young people. As smartphones become increasingly embedded in the daily lives of teenagers, researchers are looking to explore how reducing screen time might improve mental clarity, emotional stability, and general mood.

The group of volunteers, a combination of Year 12 and 13 students at Birkenhead Sixth Form College, will be disconnected from their phones and social media platforms for three weeks. Throughout this time they will be monitored by researchers, who will assess their sleep patterns, levels of alertness, and overall mental health through regular surveys and sleep tracking technology.

Dr. Emma Sullivan, research leader from University of York, the same research team behind the recent ‘Channel 4 Documentary Swiped – the School that Banned Smartphones’ explained: “We are really excited to work with the College. Research of this kind has focused on younger teenagers so far, so it will be really interesting to see what the impact of 16-19 year olds giving up phones will be. Students have completed all their pre-tests, we are now ready for the ban to commence.”

The findings from this study could help pave the way for new strategies to support mental health and improve sleep hygiene among young people, particularly in an age dominated by digital distractions.

"We are excited to work with University of York on this innovative project," said Rob Myatt, Deputy Principal at Birkenhead Sixth Form College. “It is great to see students’ willingness to take on this challenge, which I am sure will not be easy. Students have been preparing for this moment and have had to make alternative arrangements for different aspects of their lives, including gig tickets and railcards stored on their phones. It is very brave what they are doing and as a College we are fascinated to see what happens. ”

The students participating in the study have expressed both excitement and nervousness about the challenge. Many recognise the role smartphones play in their daily routines and acknowledge the importance of addressing the mental health issues that can arise from excessive screen time.

Student participant Annabelle James is intrigued about how it will affect her, “I am taking part in the mobile phone experiment to try and get a re-set from technology and to become less dependent on it.” Woody Parks who is also participating in the research said “I am excited to see how my day-to-day life will be impacted without my phone. I’m also excited to see how my sleep improves and to generally see how my life plays out without my smartphone.”

As the study progresses, researchers will continue to gather data and analyse what impact being without smartphones for a prolonged period of time has on young people. The full results are expected to be released later this year.