US EditionDon’t give children under age 13 smartphones, new research says
UNITED STATES, JUL 21 – A global study of over 100,000 young adults links early smartphone ownership to suicidal thoughts, aggression, and low self-worth, with girls showing higher vulnerability, researchers said.
- On Sunday, July 20, the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities published a global study showing that early smartphone ownership before age 13 is linked to increased suicidal thoughts, aggression, and poor emotional regulation in young adults.
- Examining risk factors, researchers identified key contributors; further analysis found early social media access explained about 40% of the link, with cyberbullying, disrupted sleep and poor family relationships accounting for 10%, 12% and 13%.
- Nearly two million self-reports from more than 160 countries underpinned the analysis, drawn from Sapien Labs’ Global Mind Project using the Mind Health Quotient diagnostic tool.
- Amid stark findings, the study’s authors advocated broad policy measures, including restrictions on under-13 smartphone use, digital literacy education, and corporate accountability.
- Against a backdrop of global measures, New York enacted the largest state school phone ban, joining France, the Netherlands, Italy and New Zealand in restricting mobile use.
32 Articles
32 Articles
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Psychologist on study linking smartphones, kids' mental health
A global study of 2 million people links smartphone use under age 13 to mental health issues, especially in girls, citing social media, sleep loss and cyberbullying. Boston Children's Hospital's Dr. Erica Lee weighs in.
The use of smart phones by children under 13 years of age could affect their mental health, says a new study.
The issue of addiction to screens by young people has become a problem of enormous gravity. We know this from psychologists and psychiatrists. We are in the digital age and not knowing how to act in a healthy way is causing serious problems. The mental health of young people is in danger, if parents and educators are not able to train them properly and present to them the benefits of their use and the damages when they get trapped in those netwo…
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