Researchers analyzed data from more than 10,500 children participating in the “Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study,” which is the largest long-term study of children’s brain development in the United States, according to the “New York Post.” The researchers focused on a subset of children who did not have a phone at age 12 and found that those who received one just a year later exhibited worse mental health symptoms and lower sleep quality than those who remained without a phone.
Dr. Ran Barzilay, the study’s lead author and a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, stated, “When you give your child a phone, you should treat it as an important medical decision that affects their health and act accordingly.” The study did not prove a direct causal relationship, but it suggested that smartphones might reduce time for real social interaction, physical exercise, and sleep, which are crucial factors during the sensitive adolescent stage.
Regarding sleep, Dr. Jason Nagata from the University of California, San Francisco, referenced his previous study from 2023, which found that 63% of children aged 11 and 12 had an electronic device in their bedroom, and 17% of them were awakened by phone notifications during the previous week. Nagata advises keeping phones completely out of bedrooms at night, even if the child already has the device.
The conclusion shared by researchers: The later a child receives a smartphone after age 12, the fewer issues are associated with it.
