According to a large-scale study published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine, receiving a smartphone before the age of 13 is associated with significantly poorer mind health outcomes in early adulthood. Drawing on data from nearly 2 million individuals across 163 countries, researchers found that earlier smartphone ownership correlates with a steep decline in well-being—especially among females.
The study shows that for those who acquired a smartphone under the age of 13, the younger the age, the worse the outcomes. MHQ (Mind Health Quotient) scores dropped from 30 for those who received a smartphone at 13 to just 1 for those who received it at age five.
Meanwhile, the percentage of young adults considered distressed or struggling increases by 9.5% for females and 7.0% for males when smartphones are owned before age 13, with the strongest effects seen in females.
What the study found: Early smartphone use is linked to severe symptoms in adulthood
Using data from the Global Mind Project, the study examined outcomes for 18–24-year-olds based on the age they first owned a smartphone. The findings show that earlier smartphone access is consistently associated with lower mind health across all regions, languages, and cultures.
Key symptoms more prevalent in those who received smartphones before age 13 include:
- Suicidal thoughts
- Aggression
- Feelings of detachment from reality
- Hallucinations
Among females who got their first smartphone at age five or six, 48% reported suicidal thoughts. That number drops to 28% for those who got one at 13. For males, the rates were 31% and 20%, respectively. Other affected areas include emotional resilience, confidence, and self-worth—all of which showed measurable decline in those who had early access to smartphones.
Why it hits girls hardest
While both boys and girls are impacted, the data shows that females experience significantly worse mind health outcomes when exposed to smartphones at a younger age. In addition to higher rates of suicidal thoughts, girls report more severe declines in:
- Self-image
- Emotional control
- Confidence
- Resilience
This aligns with concerns raised by researchers that algorithmically engineered digital environments—which are heavily driven by social comparison and appearance-focused content—may disproportionately affect young girls’ sense of self during formative developmental years.
How social media fits in
The study identifies age of social media access as a key pathway connecting early smartphone ownership with later mental health struggles. Globally, early access to social media explains approximately 40% of the association between smartphone ownership and diminished well-being. In English-speaking countries, that number jumps to 70%.
Social media also increases the risk of:
- Cyberbullying
- Poor family relationships
- Disrupted sleep
- Sexual abuse (among females)
These secondary effects often compound over time, especially when children are exposed to these platforms before they have developed the emotional maturity and cognitive tools to process them.
What parents are up against
Enforcing digital boundaries is no longer just a matter of personal choice. When children are surrounded by peers who have unrestricted access to smartphones and social media, families face enormous pressure to conform—at the expense of their child’s mental well-being.
And the burden of managing this often falls on moms alone. From setting limits to enduring backlash and trying to keep kids socially connected without handing over a device, many parents are navigating these choices without structural support or policy guardrails.
What’s more, protecting your child doesn’t insulate them from secondhand exposure to peers who are struggling. The effects of early digital exposure—aggression, dissociation, mood instability—often show up in classrooms, cafeterias, and social groups.
Related: Getting rid of my smartphone saved my motherhood
The call to action: We need a smartphone age limit
The study’s authors argue that the effects of early smartphone and social media access are too significant to be left to private parenting decisions alone. They recommend that societies adopt a developmentally appropriate, policy-based approach, similar to laws around tobacco, alcohol, and driving.
Key recommendations include:
- Restrict smartphone access under age 13, with alternative “kid-safe” phones that allow calling and text only.
- Enforce meaningful age limits on social media platforms, with corporate accountability for violations
- Implement mandatory digital literacy and mental health education before children are allowed access to social media
- Hold tech companies responsible for designing safer platforms and protecting young users from exploitative algorithms
If the current pattern of younger individuals gaining access to smartphones and social media continues, the data indicates that this trend alone could significantly contribute to mental health issues—potentially affecting nearly a third of the next generation with problems like suicidal ideation, detachment from reality, and reduced emotional regulation and resilience.
This research reframes how we understand digital safety for kids
This data confirms what many parents have sensed for years: this is bigger than “too much screen time.” Early smartphone access opens a gateway to digital environments that are developmentally inappropriate, emotionally manipulative, and largely unregulated.
Waiting for irrefutable proof, the authors argue, “risks losing the opportunity for timely, preventive intervention.”
It’s time for policymakers—and tech companies—to catch up with what the data now makes clear: we cannot protect children’s mental health without setting real, enforceable digital boundaries.
Related: My daughter is 10—the average age children receive a smartphone