Researchers tracked 10,000 kids and found one phone decision parents make that changes everything

A large-scale new study tracking the mental health outcomes of roughly 10,000 children is prompting researchers to issue a recommendation. They say that children should not receive their first smartphone until at least age 14.

According to UNILAD, the research was conducted by Sapien Labs and focused on the long-term psychological effects of smartphone access during preadolescence. The data links earlier access to poorer mental health outcomes later in life. The findings challenge assumptions that early phone ownership is harmless or simply a modern necessity.

The study arrives amid broader concerns about how technology intersects with childhood development, including attention issues and academic performance. Recent reporting highlighted how a Texas teacher said many of her 110 students were unable to read at grade level, drawing attention to how early digital habits may be overlapping with learning challenges.

This was not just a small statistical blip

Sapien Labs founder and chief scientist Dr. Tara Thiagarajan said the results showed a consistent pattern. Children who received smartphones at younger ages reported worse mental health outcomes in early adulthood than those who received them later. The researchers said that ages often considered acceptable, such as 11 or 12, may still be too early from a developmental standpoint.

The strongest effects appeared among young women. Nearly half of those who received a smartphone at ages five or six later reported experiencing severe suicidal thoughts, compared with much lower rates among those who did not receive a smartphone until age 13 or older. Young men showed a similar pattern, with reported suicidal ideation declining when smartphone access was delayed.

Dr. Thiagarajan said the issue is not limited to the device itself but to the environment it introduces. Early smartphone ownership exposes children to social media, online comparison, cyberbullying, sleep disruption, and reduced in-person family interaction during key developmental periods. Researchers said these factors are associated with changes in emotional regulation and psychological resilience over time.

The researchers contrasted these risks with isolated positive moments online, such as a stadium worker receiving a gift from Taylor Swift that circulated widely on social media. They noted that for younger users, sustained exposure more often aligns with increased anxiety, comparison, and social withdrawal.

Based on the scale and consistency of the data, Sapien Labs is calling for policy-level action. The group argues that smartphones should be treated as a public health issue, with age-based restrictions, stronger protections for minors, mandatory digital literacy education, and greater accountability for technology companies.