Overview
- The analysis of more than 10,500 U.S. children in the ABCD study found higher probabilities of depression, obesity and insufficient sleep among those with a personal phone by age 12.
- Risks were greater the younger the first-phone age, including elevated symptoms in children who received devices soon after turning 12 compared with peers who did not.
- Researchers point to plausible pathways such as reduced socializing, less physical activity and disrupted sleep tied to device access.
- Evidence across studies remains mixed, with prior reviews and a Stanford analysis reporting inconsistent or null links between early phone access and harm.
- Experts advise delaying first-phone ownership, close parental supervision and keeping devices out of bedrooms at night to help protect sleep and well-being.