Researcher Tells NACAC Audience Meaning and Less Screen Time Can Improve Well-Being
Arthur Brooks, a happiness researcher and keynote speaker at NACAC Conference 2026, said many people are experiencing a crisis of meaning and rising mental health problems. He linked the shift partly to smartphones reducing boredom and imaginative reflection, and advised limiting screen time, especially during meals and the first and last hours of the day. Brooks told college admission counseling professionals they can help students and others build more meaningful lives.
Arthur Brooks, who teaches at Vanderbilt and Harvard Business School, opened NACAC Conference 2026 in Minneapolis on Oct. 8. He asks students two questions about why they live and what they would sacrifice for, using their answers to gauge a sense of purpose.
He reported that passing this informal test fell from roughly 85% two decades ago to about 50% now. Since smartphones arrived in 2008, he argued, boredom and reflective imagination have declined, while depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and substance misuse have risen.
Brooks’s message may resonate with college admission counselors and students navigating pressure and digital life. If schools and families adopt limits around phones, especially during meals and morning/evening, students could gain space for reflection and in-person connection. Counselors might use these ideas to support well-being alongside academic planning. Yet impact may depend on whether institutions and individuals treat such advice as practical guidance rather than a cure for broader mental health challenges.