A groundbreaking international study has found that children who own smartphones before the age of 13—especially girls—face a significantly higher risk of developing mental health issues in later life. This research, published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities and highlighted by ABC News, analyzed more than 100,000 young adults aged 18 to 24, shedding urgent light on a digital dilemma that increasingly resonates with Thai families navigating the rapid shift to online lifestyles (ABC News report).
This study signals a warning that deserves Thailand’s close attention: earlier access to smartphones among children is associated with mental health symptoms ranging from aggression and detachment to hallucinations and suicidal thoughts. Each year of smartphone ownership before age 13 was linked to worse mental health outcomes, according to extensive self-reported questionnaires administered to young adults across multiple countries. The findings are particularly alarming for young women—48% of those who got smartphones at ages 5 or 6 reported severe suicidal thoughts, compared to 28% among those who received devices at 13 or older. For young men, those who had a smartphone by age 5 or 6 reported severe suicidal thoughts in 31% of cases, while the rate was 20% among young men who first owned smartphones at 13 or older.
The Thai context makes these results acutely relevant. With smartphone penetration approaching 90% among Thai youth and digital education and socialisation accelerating post-pandemic, many Thai families have handed devices to children at ever-younger ages (see Statista: Smartphone penetration rate in Thailand). But, as the study underscores, this early adoption may come at considerable cost. Both boys and girls who started using smartphones early reported lower self-image and self-worth. Girls specifically reported diminished emotional resilience and confidence, while boys reported feeling less calm, stable, and empathetic.
One of the study’s lead authors, a neuroscientist and mental health researcher, commented, “The younger the child gets a smartphone, the more exposure to all this impacts them psychologically and shapes the way they think and view the world.” The data further reveal that social media is likely a major mediating factor, as is cyberbullying, poor sleep, and deteriorating family relationships—all challenges also echoed in recent Thai surveys and highlighted by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (Ministry report).
In response to these findings, the study’s authors recommend that children avoid smartphones until at least age 14. “Ideally, children should not have a smartphone until age 14, and when they do get a smartphone, parents should take the time to discuss … how to interact on the Internet and explain the consequences of doing various things,” explained one of the study’s neuroscientist authors.
This resonates with recommendations from local Thai paediatricians and child psychologists, who have long cautioned that unsupervised smartphone use can reduce children’s ability to regulate emotions and navigate online pressure. A senior child psychiatric specialist from a major Bangkok hospital explained that “Thai children are particularly vulnerable due to high rates of social media exposure and often limited parental oversight, especially in urban settings where both parents work full time.”
Internationally, leading experts are amplifying these calls. On “Good Morning America,” a U.S. cardiologist and medical contributor emphasized, “The longer we can push off allowing our kids to be on social media, we are learning, the better.” Families are experimenting with lower-tech solutions, like issuing landlines or basic flip phones rather than smartphones to younger children—a solution Thai parents might also consider, especially in rural settings with strong communal oversight.
The study’s emergence dovetails with efforts by noted social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who in his book “The Anxious Generation” proposes delaying both smartphones and social media access, and designating schools as phone-free zones. Such ideas may find fertile ground in Thailand, where many educators and school administrators have debated phone bans in a bid to arrest rising cyberbullying, screen dependency, and “digital distraction” in the classroom—a challenge explicitly discussed by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC policy discussion).
Child health practitioners agree that clear boundaries are essential, but also emphasize the need for parental modelling—a principle echoed by pediatrician Dr. Natasha Burgert interviewed by ABC News. She stressed, “Connect authentically and meaningfully for a few minutes every day, and show your children that the humans we live with are more important and worthy of our attention than our phones.” In many Thai households, family dinner remains an anchor for such connections, providing a natural digital “timeout.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends families adopt the “5 C’s of media use,” including teaching children to be safe online, since digital content and ads are often targeted at much older audiences. Thai authorities, too, have rolled out digital literacy modules through the Ministry of Education aimed at boosting critical thinking regarding online content and fostering safe Internet practices from primary school onwards (MOE digital literacy initiatives).
Cultural context is also crucial. In Thailand’s collectivist society, the peer pressure generated via group chat apps like LINE and Facebook Messenger can be intense, particularly as digital status and self-worth become tightly linked to social media activity among teens. While smartphone ownership might once have been seen as a privilege or a badge of progress, this study reflects a need to redefine what healthy digital development actually means for Thai children.
Looking ahead, mental health experts caution that, as Thailand marches deeper into its digital decade, multi-pronged efforts are needed: national guidelines for device usage, social media age minimums, robust digital literacy curricula in schools, and widespread public campaigns highlighting early risk signs of online-induced mental health distress. Research also highlights the immediate benefits of practical family strategies, such as device-free dinners, charging phones outside bedrooms, and broader community dialogue around online risks.
For parents, the recommendations are both challenging and actionable. Delay your child’s first smartphone until at least 14 if possible, and keep social media firmly off-limits until age 16. If a device is absolutely necessary—for emergencies or school communication—consider a basic phone without Internet access. Above all, cultivate daily, device-free conversations, and model healthy phone habits yourself. Schools, policymakers, and technology companies all have a role to play in forging new social norms and safeguarding the next generation’s mental health.
As the evidence mounts worldwide, the Thai proverb “Som nam na”—serving as a warning, not just regret—applies. The time to heed these signals is now, before the digital habits we encourage for convenience or safety inadvertently undermine the wellbeing and future of our children.
Sources: ABC News, Statista: Smartphone penetration rate in Thailand, Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Ministry of Education