Protecting Learning from Addictive Technologies: A Parental Coaching Intervention in Colombia

Excessive smartphone use among adolescents is linked to reduced sleep, worse academic performance, and diminished mental health—yet evidence on effective interventions remains scarce in low- and middle-income countries. Our 2025 LAI-funded pilot in Bogotá with public school students (N=351) revealed that parental rules—not classroom-based socioemotional (SEL) training—predicted healthier usage patterns: students with parental boundaries used smartphones 17% less than those without (1.1 hours less from a base rate of 6.5 hours/day). This association motivates the present proposal. Research question: Can structured coaching for parents improve adolescents' (ages 12–16) smartphone habits and downstream learning outcomes? Intervention: Parents receive eight weekly 15-minute phone calls and Whatsapp Nudges with structured coaching covering digital literacy, sleep hygiene, establishing tech-free zones, and implementing parental controls. Content integrates rule-setting strategies with role-modeling (parents reducing their own visible phone use). Design: Individual-level randomization of ~1,200 parent-child pairs (50% treatment, 50% control). Pre-specified heterogeneity analysis will test whether impact estimates vary according to parenting styles. Outcomes: Child phone use (app-tracked hours), academic performance (grades, standardized tests), sleep quality, and parent-child relationship quality. Timeline: Mid-2026 to mid-2027, in partnership with the Secretaría de Educación de Bogotá (SED).