Smartphones may threaten children’s mental health

SMARTPHONE-FREE Childhood SA (SFC-SA), a parent-led initiative, is calling for a more cautious and intentional approach to digital access during childhood, as a global study warns of serious mental health risks associated with early smartphone use in children.

- ANITA NKONKI

This follows the release of a comprehensive international study published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, which analysed data from over 100,000 individuals across more than 160 countries.

The study found that children who received smartphones before the age of 13 were significantly more likely to experience mental health challenges in early adulthood, including anxiety, depression, emotional instability, aggression, and social withdrawal.

The research also highlights social media as the biggest contributing factor, accounting for 40% of the link between early smartphone ownership and declining mental health. Other contributors include disrupted sleep (12%), strained family relationships (13%), and cyberbullying (10%).

SFC-SA's Claire Thompson tells Saturday Star that the findings should serve as a wake-up call for South African families. “Children between 10 and 16 are in a critical stage of brain development. The emotional centres of the brain are in overdrive while impulse control and reasoning are still under construction. Giving them unfiltered access to the digital world during this time can be incredibly destabilising.”