Smartphone use in children may cause mental health problems in adulthood

The Sapien Labs report, released on May 14, assessed the mental health of 27,969 people aged 18-24, mainly from 41 countries in regions such as North America, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, South Asia and Africa.

Illustration photo.

The report found that young people aged 18-24 who had used smartphones since childhood were found to have poorer mental health, with women being more severely affected than men. The proportion of men experiencing mental health problems dropped from 42% for those who got their first smartphone at age 6 to 36% for those who got their first smartphone at age 18. Meanwhile, for women, the proportion dropped from 74% for those who got their first smartphone at age 6 to 46% for those who got their first smartphone at age 18.

This report makes an important contribution to our understanding of the role of early access to technology in influencing mental health outcomes for children and young people. The findings have important implications for schools, parents and employers.

The findings are also important because we see more and more children owning their own mobile phones. According to a 2021 report by the US non-profit Common Sense Media, teens aged 13 to 18 spend an average of 8.4 hours a day on smartphone screens for entertainment, while those aged 8 to 12 spend an average of 5.3 hours.

According to the Sapien Labs report, 18- to 24-year-olds who got their first smartphone or tablet at an older age had better mental health and were therefore less likely to experience psychological problems such as suicidal thoughts, hostility towards others and feelings of detachment from reality. This suggests a cumulative effect of smartphone use at a young age.

The report also revealed that the impact may be worse in women, with 60% to 70% of women who used smartphones before the age of 10 experiencing mental health problems as adults. While men are not immune, the impact is lower, with around 45% to 50% of men who used smartphones before the age of 10 experiencing similar problems as they age.

According to the report, before the Internet, by the time a person turns 18, they will have spent between 15,000 and 25,000 hours interacting with family and peers. Since the Internet, this time has decreased to only 1,500 to 5,000 hours.

“These findings suggest that the later smartphone use in childhood is associated with better mental health in adulthood,” said Sapien Labs founder Dr. Tara Thiagarajan in a statement.

“It is important that we continue to study the relationship between smartphone use in children and mental health, and promote the development of effective policies and interventions that can support healthy mental health development in the digital age,” added Dr Tara Thiagarajan.

In summary, the Sapien Labs report highlights a possible link between childhood smartphone use and adult mental health. The report also shows that as the age of first smartphone use increases, so does the mental health of young people. At the same time, this is also compelling evidence to help parents have a correct view of smartphone use in children./.