05/08/2025
Researchers just made a direct link between early phone access and severe mental health problems
A major new study has found that giving children smartphones before age 13 leads to serious long-term mental health issues.
The research, published by Sapien Labs in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, tracked over 100,000 young adults and discovered a clear link: the earlier a child got their first phone, the worse their mental health was as they aged.
Those who had early access were more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, aggression, and even hallucinations. Girls reported lower self-esteem and emotional resilience, while boys showed reduced empathy and emotional stability compared to peers who got phones later.
The study underscores growing concerns that young brains aren’t developmentally ready to handle smartphones and the social media exposure that comes with them. Sapien Labs’ chief scientist, Tara Thiagarajan, warns that factors like cyberbullying, poor sleep, and strained family relationships may compound the damage.
She and her team are urging policymakers to take smartphone use among children as seriously as alcohol or to***co, recommending restrictions for kids under 13, mandatory digital literacy education, and corporate accountability. This research adds weight to mounting evidence that early digital exposure can have severe psychological effects on today’s youth.
Source: Thiagarajan, T., et al. (2025). "Protecting the Developing Mind in a Digital Age: A Global Policy Imperative" Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.
