Young adults who received a smartphone before age 13 are more likely to report suicidal thoughts, aggression, and diminished emotional resilience, according to a sweeping global study of over 100,000 people.
The research, published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, suggests that earlier smartphone ownership is tied to significantly lower mental wellbeing scores by early adulthood—raising urgent questions about childhood exposure to digital environments powered by AI and social media algorithms.
Earlier access, deeper distress
Using data from the Global Mind Project, researchers found a stark decline in “mind health” scores the younger a person was when they first received a smartphone. Individuals who got their first phone at age 13 had an average score of 30, while those who received one at age 5 had a score close to 1. Among females, nearly half who owned a smartphone before age 7 reported suicidal thoughts by young adulthood.
The study used the Mind Health Quotient (MHQ), a self-assessment that evaluates cognitive, emotional, and social functioning—not just classic symptoms of depression or anxiety. Results were consistent across languages, cultures, and continents.
Key findings from the global data
- Youth with smartphones before age 13 were more likely to report hallucinations, aggression, and feelings of detachment from reality.
- Early users had higher rates of poor self-worth, emotional instability, and reduced empathy—especially among males.
- Each younger year of first ownership increased the likelihood of scoring in the “distressed” mental health category.
Social media access is a major driver
According to the study, early access to social media explains about 40% of the connection between early smartphone use and poorer adult mental health. Other key contributors include:
- Disrupted sleep (12%)
- Poor family relationships (13%)
- Cyberbullying (10%)
In English-speaking countries, the risks were even greater—likely due to earlier average smartphone ownership and exposure to English-language online content, which the authors suggest may include more harmful material.
“A profound shift in mind health”
“Our data indicate that early smartphone ownership—and the social media access it often brings—is linked with a profound shift in mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood,” said Dr Tara Thiagarajan, lead author and neuroscientist at Sapien Labs.
She emphasized that the results go beyond traditional mental health diagnoses and touch on symptoms that are harder to detect but socially significant, like emotional detachment and loss of self-worth.
What can be done? Four urgent policy ideas
To reduce harm, the authors recommend a precautionary approach, proposing:
- Mandatory digital literacy and mental health education for youth
- Stricter enforcement of age limits on social media platforms
- Legal restrictions on social media access for children under 13
- Graduated smartphone access with “kid-safe” alternatives
“Waiting for irrefutable proof… risks missing the window for timely, preventative action,” Thiagarajan warned. The paper argues that smartphone policy should follow models used for alcohol and tobacco: age-based limits, public accountability, and broad societal engagement.
As mental health concerns rise globally, especially among Gen Z, this study offers a data-rich warning: the digital freedom of childhood may be costing the very resilience that adulthood requires.
Journal: Journal of Human Development and Capabilities
DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2025.2518313
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