Editorial: Modern malaise

Earlier age of smartphone ownership among 18-24-year-olds is associated with much poorer mental health outcomes

Hyderabad: ‘Where to draw the line’ is the dilemma of present-day parents, fretting over their wards fiddling with their mobile phones all the time. Screen addiction among children is one of the downsides of modern technology and a major cause for concern for parents. The latest global study on the impact of growing up with smartphones confirms the negative outcomes of an early digital embrace. It examined the mental well-being of those aged 18 to 24 years in relation to the age at which they first got their own smartphone or tablet. As per the findings by the US-based Sapien Labs, delaying access to such a device could result in better mental health. Earlier age of smartphone ownership among 18-24-year-olds is associated with much poorer mental health outcomes, with women being affected more. The mental well-being of each younger generation has progressively declined. Simultaneously, the rapid adoption of smartphones during this period has changed the cognitive and social habits of users, says the report. The results are consistent across regions, including South Asia, and thus apply to India as well. Problems with suicidal thoughts, feelings of aggression towards others, a sense of being detached from reality and hallucinations declined significantly with the older age of first smartphone ownership. The report by the Sapien Labs Centre for the Human Brain and Mind, in collaboration with the US-based Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR), makes a critical contribution to shaping our understanding of the role of early access to technology in influencing mental health outcomes for children and youth.

The findings have significant implications for schools, parents, employers and others in India, home to over 200 million youth in the age group of 15-25 years. A survey conducted last year found that smartphone use among Indian children in the age group of 10-14 years was way above the international average. A study done by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights last year showed that over 37% of children experienced reduced levels of concentration due to prolonged smartphone use. Such findings need careful consideration at all levels, and not just at the parental one. There are concerns about the cognitive and social habits of users changing as a result of early access to technology. Part of the blame has been placed at the doorsteps of the global tech giants for their reluctance on having guard rails. In 2021, it emerged that Facebook’s own research highlighted mental health issues among teenage girls, attributed to the Instagram app. On every parent’s mind is whether the child is getting exposed to risks such as addictive social media, cyberbullying or inappropriate content. They have a difficult choice to make on when to allow their children to own a mobile phone. Regulating the age of smartphone adoption holds the key to effectively addressing the problem.

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