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Banning mobile phones in schools: evidence from regional-level policies in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Pilar Beneito
  • Óscar Vicente-Chirivella

Abstract

Purpose - The autonomous governments of two regions in Spain established mobile bans in schools as of the year 2015. Exploiting the across-region variation introduced by such a quasi-natural experiment, this study aims to perform a comparative-case analysis to investigate the impact of this non-spending-based policy on regional Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores in maths and sciences and bullying incidence. Design/methodology/approach - The authors apply the synthetic control method and diff-in-diff estimation to compare the treated regions with the rest of regions in Spain before and after the intervention. Findings - The results show noticeable reductions of bullying incidence among teenagers in the two treated regions. The authors also find positive and significant effects of this policy on the PISA scores of the Galicia region that are equivalent to 0.6–0.8 years of learning in maths and around 0.72 to near one year of learning in sciences. Originality/value - To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical study analysing the impact of mobile phone bans in schools on bullying cases, exploiting variation across regions (or other units), years and age intervals. Besides, the scarce formal evidence that exists on the consequences of the mobile phones use in students’ academic achievement comes from a micro perspective, while the paper serves as one more piece of evidence from a macro perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Pilar Beneito & Óscar Vicente-Chirivella, 2022. "Banning mobile phones in schools: evidence from regional-level policies in Spain," Applied Economic Analysis, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 30(90), pages 153-175, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:aeapps:aea-05-2021-0112
    DOI: 10.1108/AEA-05-2021-0112
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Abrahamsson, Sara, 2024. "Smartphone Bans, Student Outcomes and Mental Health," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 1/2024, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    School bullying; Comparative-case studies; Maths and sciences skills; Regional-level policies; C21; J24; H75; I21; I28;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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