- The use of smartphones in children can be counterproductive because it impairs their social skills.
- Social networks are also quite dangerous because they can cause negative effects on the mental health of users.
- In Latin America, the tendency to suicidal thoughts or actions exceeds the global tendency in a worrying way.
In recent years, significant technological advances have been made. In the end, the main objective is always to facilitate daily tasks. The drawback is that sometimes a dependency is generated that can be counterproductive. In fact, the early use of smartphones in children could cause various damages.
In his most recent study on the “Results regarding age when the first smartphone was purchased and mental well-being”, Sapiens Lab, a research laboratory dedicated to the study and analysis of various aspects related to psychology, mental health, and human behavior, discovered some interesting trends that affect the development of younger generations.
And it is that this study, carried out between January and April 2023, took as a sample 27,696 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 throughout the five continents. For Latin America, 7,061 women and 4,541 men from countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Argentina were evaluated.
The risks of technology
For the study, 47 items covering a wide range of symptoms and mental abilities (27 mental functions and 20 symptoms associated with mental disorders) were taken into account. Combined they make up the Mental Health Quotient (MHQ).
Among the most significant results is that women experience a significant reduction in mental health challenges when they acquire their first smartphone at a later age, in the same way as men, although to a lesser extent. They also observe an improvement in the perception of themselves and in social relationships as they delay acquiring a cell phone.
In Latin America, the tendency to suicidal thoughts or actions exceeds the global trend in a worrying way, although it remains similar in other behaviors such as aggressive feelings towards others, guilt, a feeling of being disconnected from reality, and repetitive and compulsive actions.
These results underscore the importance of considering the impact of early smartphone use on the mental health of young people, even if they have not experienced childhood trauma or adversity.
How does the use of smartphones affect children?
Being exposed to a large amount of digital stimuli from an early age risks distorting their sense of identity and making it difficult to understand themselves as unique individuals and an active part of the collective.
Smartphones hinder social skills, since behavior in society is complex and requires practice to improve, and in this way you can build relationships that help you withstand the adversities of life.
The conclusion of this study carried out by Sapiens Lab helps determine that it is important for parents today to be aware of this phenomenon and take measures to protect the emotional well-being of the little ones in the house.
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