New study challenges beliefs about kids and smartphones

A comprehensive new study of 11- to 13-year-olds in Florida has found that smartphone ownership is not only widespread among preteens but may also be linked to higher levels of wellbeing. The findings challenge common narratives that suggest early access to smartphones harms children’s mental health.

The Life in Media Survey, conducted by researchers at the University of South Florida in collaboration with The Harris Poll, surveyed more than 1,500 children across the state. The results will inform a planned 25-year national study on youth digital media use and wellness.

Researchers examined a wide range of behaviors, including smartphone and tablet usage, public social media posting, sleep habits, cyberbullying experiences and emotional wellbeing. They found that owning a smartphone, in itself, was not associated with worse mental health – and in many cases, it correlated with more positive outcomes.

Among the clearest findings: kids who own smartphones were more likely to report feeling good about themselves, less likely to report feeling depressed or anxious and more likely to spend time with friends in person. On average, smartphone-owning children spent nearly three days per week socializing in person outside of school, compared to just two days among peers without smartphones.

“Not only was smartphone ownership not harmful, most of the time we found the opposite,” said Dr. Justin D. Martin, lead researcher on the project, in a prepared statement. “Kids with smartphones reported better outcomes across a range of wellbeing measures.”

The study also found that efforts to limit access to smartphones may not be working. Nearly three-quarters of 11-year-olds surveyed already have their own smartphone, with many getting their first device by age 8 and a half. Some reported receiving smartphones as early as age 5.

Access to smartphones is also not limited to wealthier households. In fact, the data suggest that children from lower-income families were more likely to own smartphones than those from more affluent households. Researchers speculated that digital media use, like junk food, is widely available, often affordable, and more heavily consumed by those in lower-income settings.

Yet while simple ownership of devices was not associated with harm, specific behaviors with those devices were.

Children who frequently posted publicly on social media – as opposed to those who just browsed – showed significantly worse mental health outcomes. These kids were more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep problems and restlessness. Heavy posters were also more likely to say they preferred spending time online rather than with people in person.

“Posting publicly appears to be a digital tipping point,” said Dr. Wendy Rote, USF associate professor of psychology. “It’s not the device, it’s what children are doing with it.”

Cyberbullying also stood out as a major concern. More than half of respondents said they had been cyberbullied in the prior three months. The study defined cyberbullying broadly – such as being called a “mean” name online even once – and still found significant associations with poor outcomes.

Kids who reported being cyberbullied were nearly three times more likely to say they felt depressed most days over the past year and more than three times as likely to report getting angry and losing their temper. They were also more likely to say they struggled to stop using technology once they started.

Notably, children without smartphones were more likely to be cyberbullied than those who owned one. This undercuts the argument that delaying phone ownership can protect children from online harassment.

The study’s authors offered a few practical takeaways. They suggest that giving a smartphone to a child as young as 11 is likely safe – and potentially beneficial. However, they caution against allowing public social media posting at a young age, and recommend parents watch for even subtle signs of cyberbullying.

Another key suggestion: don’t let kids sleep with their phones. One in four children surveyed reported sleeping with their phone in hand or in bed. Those kids got significantly less sleep on average – about 8.6 hours per night – compared to the 9.3 hours for those who kept their phones in another room.

The study also touched on Florida’s new state laws regulating social media use by minors. As of January 2025, it is illegal in Florida for children under 14 to have social media accounts. However, the survey suggests such laws may be difficult to enforce. Most kids surveyed already have accounts on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook – despite age restrictions. More than one in four admitted to lying about their age to sign up.

Researchers emphasized that the study was a snapshot in time and does not prove causation. Still, they argue the associations found are strong enough to merit attention, especially as they prepare to launch a nationwide longitudinal version of the survey tracking 8,000 children for the next 25 years.

That longer study, which aims to examine the long-term impacts of digital media use into adulthood, will look at issues like attention span, eyesight and the effects of growing up socializing online.

“Our current data provide a snapshot,” said Dr. Stephen Song, USF assistant professor of journalism and co-lead on the study. “But many of the effects of media use – both positive and negative -accumulate over time. That’s why we need to track these kids long-term.”

Researchers say that digital media is now an unavoidable part of childhood – and that simply taking away devices isn’t a solution. The focus, they suggest, should shift from whether kids use media to how they use it.

The full study is available at lifeinmediasurvey.org.