A groundbreaking global study has found that children who begin using smartphones before the age of 13 face a significantly increased risk of mental health challenges—especially young girls—with consequences including lower self-esteem, difficulty managing emotions, and even suicidal thoughts. The findings, published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities and covered by media including Euronews, ABC News, and KHOU, are sending ripples through families, educators, and policymakers in Thailand as smartphone uptake among children soars.
The new research analyzed mental health survey data from nearly two million individuals across over 160 countries, including substantial data from Asian nations. It confirms what many Thai parents already suspect: owning a smartphone at a young age is not just a matter of increased screen time—it exposes children to a digital environment filled with social media pressure, cyberbullying, and disrupted sleep patterns. Notably, the study’s authors stress that with each year younger a child receives a smartphone before age 13, their mental health and well-being score worsens, underscoring the direct correlation between early exposure and psychological harm (Euronews).
For Thai readers, the findings are especially pertinent as smartphone penetration in Thailand has continued to climb, with the latest National Statistical Office survey indicating over 90% of teenagers use a smartphone daily. In urban centers like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, it is now common for children as young as eight or nine to have their own devices—mirroring trends seen worldwide (National Statistical Office of Thailand). The researchers found that, globally, girls were disproportionately affected, with 9.5% of young female respondents considered as “struggling” with their mental health versus 7% for boys. Girls reported greater declines in self-confidence, emotional resilience, and self-worth, while boys faced increased aggression, lower empathy, and emotional instability (ABC News).
Clinical psychologists, including directors from international psychotherapy centers, are urging caregivers to recognize that Thai preteens may be particularly vulnerable. “This study shows consistently that smartphones are detrimental to the mental health of children under 13, especially girls, even though it cannot conclusively prove a cause-and-effect relationship,” explained one clinical psychologist, adding that sleep disturbances, social comparison, and the risk of cyberbullying are primary drivers behind the decline (KHOU).
Thai pediatricians and mental health professionals are drawing attention to the study’s sobering statistics. Among girls who had access to smartphones from as young as five or six years old, nearly half reported experiencing severe suicidal thoughts later as young adults—a rate far higher than those who received their first smartphones at or after 13. For boys, earlier access likewise correlated with heightened psychological distress. The research also noted an overall “mind health” score compiling 47 social, emotional, cognitive, and physical indicators, which dramatically declined the earlier children gained smartphone access (Euronews).
These findings resonate strongly with Thai families grappling with the challenge of balancing digital literacy, connectivity, and child well-being. The rise in smartphone use in Thailand has accompanied an exponential expansion of social media adoption—LINE, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram are prevalent among Thai youth. With this has come an increase in cyberbullying, especially in high-density urban areas. Ministry of Digital Economy and Society officials have acknowledged that public awareness campaigns against cyberbullying and digital addiction need greater urgency (Bangkok Post). Recent high-profile cases in Thai schools have also highlighted the real impacts: students facing online harassment, isolation, or public shaming, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide attempts.
The global study’s authors, supported by health professionals internationally, are calling for concrete policy responses. Lead researcher Dr Tara Thiagarajan emphasized the need to restrict smartphones for children under 13 and to regulate them in a similar way to alcohol or tobacco, with a paired focus on restricting social media content and teaching digital literacy from a young age (Euronews). She said, “I was initially surprised by how strong the results are… but when you consider how vulnerable developing minds are, it makes sense.”
The study noted that in Europe, several countries—including France, the Netherlands, and Italy—have enacted partial or full school-wide bans on mobile phones, with Denmark, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Portugal considering additional restrictions. The European Union, through laws such as the Digital Services Act, has also erected guardrails to protect minors online. Meanwhile, in the United States, prominent psychologists and authors like Jonathan Haidt, who wrote “Anxious Generation,” have advocated for national guidelines: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, and school campuses as phone-free zones (ABC News).
In Thailand, the regulatory landscape is less restrictive. The Ministry of Education has allowed schools some autonomy to set smartphone guidelines, but enforcement varies. Whereas in some Bangkok international schools devices are banned during class time, many government schools, especially in rural provinces, have limited resources to supervise smartphone use. Some schools in Bangkok have trialed “digital detox” days and workshops to guide students in healthy tech use.
For Thai families, experts recommend a community approach: connect with other parents to create consensus on when children should receive smartphones and coordinate restrictions on social media use. Local experts urge parents not to panic, but to use these findings as a prompt for honest family conversations—not just about rules, but about the potential risks and purposes of digital tools (KHOU). Thai psychologists working in school counseling and family therapy stress the importance of modeling healthy tech behavior: “Children watch the adults in their lives. Demonstrate mindful smartphone use, show how to disconnect, and make relationships in the home matter more than relationships online,” said a pediatrician from a leading Bangkok hospital.
Additionally, parents can make use of device settings to limit screen time, filter inappropriate content, and foster tech-free family routines—such as no phones during meals or bedtime. Emphasizing Thai values of kinship and togetherness, elders in the home, such as grandparents (khun yaa and khun bpuu), can be involved in activities like storytelling, gardening, or cultural rituals that keep children engaged offline and reinforce self-worth and emotional resilience.
The research, while not establishing absolute causation between smartphones and youth mental health struggles, aligns with an accumulating body of global evidence from PubMed cataloguing higher rates of depression, anxiety, and behavioral issues among young heavy tech users. A recent review points to a growing “digital divide”—not only in access, but in digital harm—with Southeast Asian youth facing intensified exposure due to rapidly increasing connectivity and limited localized digital literacy resources (Journal of Adolescent Health). In Thailand, cultural dynamics add further complexity: respect for elders, importance of group harmony, and the reluctance to directly confront mental health concerns can make it harder for youth to seek help.
The escalation of smartphone ownership among Thai children—and the concurrent rise in mental health complaints—calls for a multipronged response. The Ministry of Public Health has recently expanded access to the mental health hotline (1323), offering support for youth and parents, but nationwide education on the risks of early digital exposure remains limited (Ministry of Public Health, Thailand). In addition, Thailand’s cybersecurity strategy is only beginning to evaluate the intersection between child safety and digital mental health (Bangkok Post).
Looking ahead, Thai educators and policy makers will have to weigh the benefits of connectivity and digital literacy against the growing weight of harm detailed in this new study. Opportunities exist to draw from international best practices, such as school phone bans or mandatory digital literacy curricula, while also promoting Thai-style strengths: close family ties, community support, and Buddhist practices that foster mindfulness and self-control.
Thai parents and educators can take several concrete steps now:
- Delay children’s first smartphone until at least age 13, using simpler alternatives for communication if necessary.
- Discuss openly the risks of social media, cyberbullying, and online comparison—and establish clear rules.
- Collaborate with other families to set common standards for smartphone use among children’s peer groups to reduce feelings of “missing out.”
- Use device and app settings to control screen time and restrict access to adult content.
- Engage children in meaningful offline activities rooted in Thai culture and family traditions.
- Seek support if warning signs of mental distress—such as persistent sadness, withdrawal, or sleep disturbance—become apparent.
The global study’s message is clear: the digital revolution has brought immense opportunity and risk. Thai society, with its rich tradition of valuing harmony and well-being, is well positioned to build a safer digital future for its children—one in which technology supports, rather than undermines, mental health. For more information, families can consult resources from the Ministry of Public Health and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarindra Institute (CAMRI).