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Business baron Anand Mahindra who has been educating his followers on the dangers of staying glued to smartphone by sharing thought-provoking words, videos, and cartoons took to Twitter on Monday to share research done by Sapien Labs and Krea University, AP, which connects mental wellbeing of an adult with the age he first used a smartphone. (Also read: Use of smartphones for more than 3 hours a day causes back pain in teens)
“Incredibly disturbing. Research being conducted by Sapien Labs and Krea University, AP, shows that the age at which a child first owns a smartphone affects their mental well-being in adulthood. I join many others in urging parents to exercise caution & restraint,” wrote Chairman of the Mahindra group.
The research using data from a global study conducted by Global Mind Project, assessed the impact of growing up with smartphone or tablet and found out how mental wellbeing consistently improved with an older age of smartphone ownership. The study reveals a concerning trend of declining mental health among young people due to smartphone use.
The survey involved 27,969 individuals aged 18 to 24 and was carried out between January and April 2023. The study compared the mental health quotient (MHQ) scores of participants with the reported age at which they obtained their first smartphone or tablet. The findings shed light on the cumulative impact of growing up with these electronic devices.
The study found that the mental wellbeing consistently improved with an older age of smartphone ownership, and a more significant improvement was observed in females compared to males. The study also highlighted a significant decline in problems such as suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, and hallucinations with an increase in the age of first smartphone ownership.
The study emphasised that getting a smartphone at a younger age, especially before the age of 10, was linked with clinically distressed mental health status among females. While the trend was less pronounced among males, they still demonstrated better mental wellbeing with an older age of smartphone ownership.
As technology continues to evolve it is important to ensure the mental health of future generations remains a priority.
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