Tell me at what age you got your first smartphone… A recent study looked at the link that could exist between the age of the first cell phone and the onset of certain mental problems. Sapien Labs, a neurological and cognitive data platform, studied data from 27,969 young adults.
Using this, the researchers found that the age at which the first smartphone or tablet was received was strongly correlated with mental health status in early adulthood. The earlier participants received this device in childhood, the more likely they were to experience suicidal thoughts, feelings of aggression towards others, and a sense of detachment from reality. A correlation that is even stronger in women than in men.
In detail, the percentage of women with mental health issues was 74% for those who got a smartphone or tablet when they were 6 years old. On the other hand, the percentage was 46% for those who had received it from the age of 18. Among men, this rate goes from 42% for those who had a phone before they were 6 years old to 36% for those who had it when they reached the age of majority.
Age of acquisition also appears to be related to suicidal thoughts. “Suicidal thoughts and intentions had an average overall score of 5.8 for women who acquired their first smartphone at age 6. This score consistently decreases as the age of smartphone acquisition increases to a score of 3.6 for those who acquired their first smartphone at age 18,” the study reports. For men, this score was 4.1 for those who acquired their first smartphone early versus 3.2 for those who acquired their first smartphone at age 18.
“The later the age at which these young adults first received a phone or tablet in childhood that they could take with them, the better their mental well-being as adults,” she said. study. “These results suggest that there are long-term improvements in mental well-being for each year of delay in obtaining a smartphone during childhood,” said lead scientist Tara Thiagarajan.
Before concluding: “It is important that we continue to study this relationship and work to develop effective policies and interventions that can support healthy mental development in the digital age to reverse the downward trends we have followed. In France, according to a Médiamétrie survey carried out in 2020, young French people have their first telephone at the age of 9 years and 9 months. In 2021, INSEE revealed that 94% of 15-29 year olds owned a smartphone.
