Smartphones do not affect children’s mental health

Washington, Aug. 24: Parents believe that using smartphone affects the mental health of their children, but a new study suggested that it is not true.

The study published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science tracked young adolescents on their smartphones to test whether spending time on screen affected their mental health. “It may be time for adults to stop arguing over whether smartphones and social media are good or bad for teens’ mental health and start figuring out ways to best support them in both their offline and online lives,” said Candice Odgers, professor of psychological science at the University of California.

“Contrary to the common belief that smartphones and social media are damaging adolescents' mental health, we don't see much support for the idea that time spent on phones and online is associated with increased risk for mental health problems,” coauthor Michaeline Jensen said.

Participants in the study were between the age of 10 and 15. — ANI