Debates upon debates between more and more parents around the world about when to give their children a mobile smpartphone while there is mounting research evidence that the use of “smart phones” can have a negative impact on children’s mental health.
A Sapien Labs study published last year, which used data from 27,969 people aged 18-24 in 41 countries, found that young people’s mental health was worse the earlier they got their first smartphone.
Around 74% of girls who received their first smartphone at the age of six said they felt depressed or stressed, according to the study. That figure dropped to 52% for those who got their first smartphone at age 15.
Among boys, 42% of those who received their first smartphone at age 6 experienced distress or pressure, which dropped to 36% for those who received a smartphone at age 18.
As reported by US network CNBC, smartphones have become an essential part of everyday life in an increasingly online world, and many parents want to give their children devices so they can track their location and stay in touch with them when they leave the house. So how early is the safest for children’s health?
Zach Rausch, a researcher at New York University’s Stern School of Business, said it’s especially important to keep smartphones away from pre-teens. In his view, it is suggested that smartphone use should be delayed until the age of 14 and social media until 16.
Ideally, according to him, a ban on mobile phones in school would be implemented at all levels of education up to high school.
What organisations and academics say
Movements and organizations worldwide that support delaying the provision of smartphones to children are gaining momentum.
Smartphone Free Childhood in Britain – which was founded after an “accidental” social media post that went viral in February and now has nearly 70,000 Instagram followers worldwide – and Delay Smartphones in the US cite research by scientists.
However, some academics and scientists remain unconvinced of the causal link between smartphones and poor mental health. Earlier this year, psychology professor Christopher Ferguson said the concerns are the latest iteration of the recurring moral panic that sees older people “freaking out” about new and unfamiliar technology.
High school is key
For Rausch, the recommended ages of 14 for smartphones and 16 for social media are important for two key reasons:
Early adolescence is characterized by insecurity and over-sensitivity, which in themselves make this period difficult.
In addition, ages 12 to 13 have the highest rate of bullying, so delaying smartphone use prevents further amplification of the problem.
The age limits are indicative and are described by the researchers as reasonable and as a baseline to exclude the phenomenon of more and more 6 or 10 year olds having their own smartphone.
