By Kayla DeKraker
A study found that children who have smartphones before age 13 are at a much higher suicide risk than those who do not.
The study, published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, observed over 100,000 young adults worldwide. It reported that “those who acquired their smartphone below the age of 13, their overall mind health and wellbeing is progressively lower with each younger age of first smartphone ownership.”
The study noted that the younger the age of receiving a smart phone, the worse the outcome.
It also found, “The specific symptoms that most strongly correlate with a younger age of smartphone ownership include suicidal thoughts, aggression, feelings of being detached from reality, and hallucinations. Suicidal thoughts show the steepest change where 48% of females aged 18–24 who acquired a smartphone at age five or six report suicidal thoughts.” When girls got a smartphone at 13, that number dropped to 28%.
The results for men were less yet still concerning: “Among males, the corresponding figures are 31% and 20%, respectively.”
The study was conducted via the Global Mind Project by Sapien Labs. Rather than waiting decades to see the outcome of children who currently have smart phones, the study retroactively looked at current adults and asked them at what age they received a smart phone.
“…if current trends for increasingly younger smartphone ownership and social media access continue, projections from this data suggest that this factor alone could be responsible for mental distress such as suicidal thoughts, dissociation from reality, and diminished functionings such as emotional control and resilience in nearly a third of the next generation,” the researchers wrote.
The news that smartphones aren’t good for kids’ mental health isn’t surprising, but this study should reinforce parents’ commitment to protecting their kids from tech.
Matt Stossel, founder of a group called Social Awakening, encourages families to wait until at least eighth grade to give a child a smartphone.
Dr. Dave Anderson, a clinical psychologist of the Child Mind Institute, recommends that parents use parental controls once children are given smartphones.
“This is where cell phone companies have matured in the past couple years,” he said. “Parents can set safeguards on what apps can be downloaded onto the phone.”
However, smartphone limits are not a one-size fits all and may need to be adjusted based on the child.
Related: Erin Napier Reveals Why Her Daughters Won’t Have Smart Phones, Social Media
“A child just starting out using social media, or who is prone to poor decision-making, may require daily checks, whereas an older or more responsible teen may need only occasional monitoring,” Child Mind Institute said on Instagram. “…they need to prove that they can responsibly use social media to be trusted with it.”
If you haven’t given your child a smartphone yet, consider holding off a little longer. If they’re already using the tech, you can still make positive changes by setting healthy boundaries. It could make all the difference.
Should children have cellphones?
Read Next: Gen Z and the Smartphone Mental Health Crisis: How Parents Can Protect Their Children
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