Program

Teaching M.A.

Number of Pages

108

Year Approved

2025

First Advisor

Bergeland, John

Second Reader

Moberg, Jonathan

Abstract

This literature review investigates the causes, effects, and intervention of Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) in students. Teachers and leadership at the district and state levels concur that strategies and policies must be formulated to address students’ needs as they wade through a social world altered by technology. The matter, at its core, is the antecedents for technology misuse and how the addiction to technology might be interrupted. This thesis provides a review of 31 articles on PSU within the context of school and academia. PSU can be predicted by needs not being met, specifically needs pertaining to choice, self-efficacy, and relationships, which closely align with Self Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 1985). In lieu or even in the event of a full zero-tolerance policy for personal technology in schools, the students at risk for problematic smartphone use are at risk because of needs not being met. This thesis reports a number of strategies stakeholders can utilize to help meet these needs in all manner of ways from encouraging a student to join a sport or club, to providing choices in the classroom, and to building student self-efficacy through peer work and strong student-teacher relationships.

Degree Name

Teaching M.A.

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

Terms of Use and License Information

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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