Extensive Smartphone Usage Threatens Children Mental Growth

The growing trend of tablets and smartphones is posing an increased threat to mental well-being.

Moreover, according to recent research damage to mental health may begin in users as early as two years! 

Following are the findings of a US study published in the Journal Preventive Medicine Report:

• With just one hour of device usage, children and adolescents may lose curiosity, have lower self-control and decrease emotional stability. This can lead to increased risk of anxiety and depression
• Adolescents between 14 – 17 years are more likely victims of such adverse effects
• Similar tendencies were found in younger children and toddlers whose senses are still developing
• Nursery children who used devices frequently were twice as likely to display their temper
• Nine percent of children between 11 – 13 years who spent an hour per day with devices lacked the curiosity in learning new things. This figure further increased to 22.6 percent for those who viewed their device seven hours per day or more.

“Half of mental health problems develop by adolescence. Thus, there is an acute need to identify factors linked to mental health issues that re amenable to intervention in the population, as most antecedents are difficult or impossible to influence,” said authors Jean Twenge, Professor, San Diego University & Keith Campbell, Professor, University of Georgia.

“Compared to these more intractable antecedents of mental health, how children and adolescents spend their leisure time is more amenable to change,” Twenge & Campbell added.

They urged teachers and parents to reduce the time spent by children online, watching television and playing videos to counter the harmful effects of these devices.

Twenge who has dedicated herself to completely studying the smartphone issues in children suggests parents permit a two-hour usage limit.