Study Finds By StudyFinds Analysis
Reviewed by Steve Fink
In A Nutshell
- Study tracked over 100,000 people aged 18–24 to examine the effects of childhood smartphone ownership on adult mental health.
- Those who got smartphones before age 13 showed much higher rates of suicidal thoughts, aggression, and emotional struggles.
- Girls were especially affected, with 48% of those who got phones at age 5–6 reporting suicidal thoughts, compared to 28% at age 13.
- Researchers urge policy changes, recommending age restrictions and mandatory digital literacy training to protect developing minds.
ARLINGTON, Va. — Nearly half of young women who received their first smartphone at age 5 or 6 now report having suicidal thoughts, compared to just over a quarter of those who waited until 13 to get their device. A sweeping new study tracking more than 100,000 young adults across the globe reveals a troubling pattern that should alarm every parent: the younger children are when they first own a smartphone, the worse their mental health becomes by early adulthood.
The research, published this month in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, shows overall mental wellbeing scores plummet as smartphone ownership age drops. Researchers used a comprehensive mental health measure that tracks emotional, social and cognitive functioning. Scores fell from 30 points for 13-year-old first-time owners to just 1 point for 5-year-old recipients…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… (studyfinds.org)
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