Can training attention improve students’ emotional well-being?

Published: March 2, 2025

While companies compete to capture our focus in a thriving attention economy, the average teen now consumes nine hours of digital entertainment¹ daily. Although it’s hard to measure the full impact this has on students’ ability to regulate their attention, public school principals now cite inattention as the biggest threat to both student learning and teacher morale   . The academic consequences are clear, but what’s often overlooked is attention’s equally vital role in students’ mental health.

We tend to think of attention as simply how long you can focus, but it’s much more than that. Every second, your brain is bombarded with information from the world around you, your body, and your own mind. Attention is your filter, determining which tiny fraction of that information will make it into the limited space of your consciousness. This filtration is especially true for our inner minds — where fleeting thoughts only gain power if we give them our attention. Where we focus shapes which thoughts we elaborate on, which we let go of, and, ultimately, how we feel.

So, can training attention improve students’ emotional well-being? A recent study tested this question with a digital intervention called Finding Focus. High school students completed a series of short, interactive lessons and exercises designed to help them train their attention and use it to more skillfully navigate thoughts and emotions. For example, one exercise invited students to listen deeply to music while trying to notice and release distractions. After the program, students reported significant decreases in symptoms of depression and anxiety, alongside increases in life satisfaction, resilience, and stress management.

This study adds to a growing body of research showing that attention isn’t just about productivity — it’s central to how we experience life. When students learn how to intentionally direct their focus, they gain a skill that will help them outside of the classroom. They become better equipped to disengage from self-critique, regulate emotional reactions, and cope with stress.

Of course, no single intervention is a cure-all. Mental health is complex, and many factors contribute to student well-being. But these findings highlight an important and often-overlooked tool: By helping students train their attention, we give them a powerful tool to navigate both academic challenges and life.

Written by Michael Mrazek, PhD, associate professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin.

¹Digital entertainment includes social media, videos, gaming, and web browsing.