A global study finds that owning a cellphone before age 13 is linked to "alarming mental health declines," according to SciTechDaily. The study—"involving more than 100,000 participants"—found that cellphone ownership before the teen years was linked to an increased likelihood of "suicidal thoughts, heightened aggression, feelings of detachment from reality, difficulties with emotional control, and diminished self-worth" at ages 18 to 24.
The authors of the study—which was published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities—are urging authorities to adopt policies "similar to those regulating access to alcohol and tobacco."
