Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg says school phone ban has been vindicated

Children under 13 who are given smartphones are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and low self-worth. An expert says kids should be given ‘dumb’ phones instead. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, Picture: Supplied

The man responsible for mobile phones being banned in Queensland state schools has welcomed a new study of 100,000 young people exposing the grave dangers of giving a child under 13 a smartphone.

Suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, poorer emotional regulation and low self-worth were recorded in those exposed to mobiles at an early age.

“I led an independent review into mobile phones in schools in 2018 which resulted in bans across all states and now evidence is clear and vindicates the need for caution,” child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg, who is now Brisbane-based, told The Courier-Mail.

The global study researched 18- to 24-year-olds who had received their first smartphone at age 12.

The research has been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.

“It has become very clear that you can’t replace play-based childhood with screens and not expect deficits,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.

“It is now internationally recognised that mobile phones interfere with friendships and the mental health of children. Parents should be giving their kids a ‘dumb phone’ and steer away from smartphones,” he said.

The study researchers from Sapien Labs USA, which hosts the world’s largest database on mental wellbeing, are calling for urgent action to protect the mental health of future generations.

Based on these findings, and with the age at which kids get their first smartphones now well under 13 across the world, scientists are urging policymakers to adopt a precautionary approach, similar to regulations on alcohol and tobacco, by restricting smartphone access for under-13s, mandating digital literacy education, and enforcing corporate accountability.

“Our data indicates that early smartphone ownership and the social media access it often brings is linked with a profound shift in mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood,” lead author neuroscientist Tara Thiagarajan said.

“These correlations are mediated through several factors, including social media access, cyber-bullying, disrupted sleep and poor family relationships leading to symptoms in adulthood that are not the traditional mental health symptoms of depression and anxiety and can be missed by studies using standard screeners. These symptoms of increased aggression, detachment from reality and suicidal thoughts can have significant societal consequences as their rates grow in younger generations.”

The full ban on mobiles in Queensland schools was introduced in term one 2024.

The government announced that mobile phones and certain wearable electronic devices like smartwatches would be banned during school hours – including break times.

Dr Carr-Gregg said the ban improves academic performance and reduces cyber-bullying.

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Originally published as Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg says school phone ban has been vindicated