Early Smartphone Ownership Linked to Young Adult Mental Health Issues
Mobile use with early teenage years has a relation to mentally disturbing conditions for many years afterward. Giving young children a smartphone before they are 13 years old raises the odds of having mental health issues as a young adult, which has become evident from a broader picture that over 100,000 young people's data analyzed clearly reveals the link between early device ownership and psychological struggles from the age of 18 to 24.
Impact on Mental Well-Being
It was also found that such effects amplified with the age of first ownership. Aggression, detachment, hallucinations, and suicidal ideation are some symptoms reported to associate with early smartphone ownership. It also said that early ownership was found to undermine self-image across the genders.
Disproportionate Effects on Girls
However, the most disadvantaged among children in this regard would be girls. This has been proven through concerning evidence accompanied by the fact that early phone adoption brings about very severe suicidal ideation
- Females (Phone at 5-6 years): 48% reported serious suicidal ideation.
- Females (Phone after 13 years): 28% reported serious suicidal ideation.
- Males (Phone at 5-6 years): 31% reported serious suicidal ideation.
- Males (Phone after 13 years): 20% reported serious suicidal ideation.
Contributing Factors
The authors proposed that the gender differences in marketing disparities was mainly due to exposure through social media. However, aside from social media, other contributory factors encompassed
- Cyberbullying
- Poor sleep quality
- Distended family relationships
Expert Recommendations
With these epidemiologic findings in mind, the experts suggested postponement in providing a smartphone till the children attain 14 years. For the younger children that need a gadget for communication, recommending a feature phone would be the safer alternative. Furthermore, officials should be discussing internet rules with kids whenever they are introduced to smartphones.
