A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Milano-Bicocca and the University of Professional Studies of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) has found that early smartphone usage among children and pre-adolescents may have negative effects on their academic performance and digital skills.
The study, which was published in the journal “Youth&Society”, analyzed data from the Italian Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI) and found that early access to smartphones is associated with lower academic achievements and problematic smartphone use. It also revealed that deferring access to smartphones may reduce the gender gap in language proficiency, digital skills, and life satisfaction.
The first study, titled “The Age of the Smartphone: An Analysis of Social Predictors of Children’s Age of Access and Potential Consequences Over Time”, was conducted by researchers Tiziano Gerosa, Marco Gui, and Lucilla Losi. It found that females and students from less-educated families are more likely to receive smartphones at an earlier age, and that this is negatively associated with their well-functioning at the age of 16.
The second study, titled “Earlier Smartphone Acquisition Negatively Impacts Language Proficiency, but Only for Heavy Media Users. Results from a Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental Study”, tested the main theoretical hypotheses regarding the role of smartphones in the learning process. It found that there were no benefits for students who acquired smartphones early, and that those who had intensive media usage habits before obtaining a smartphone experienced a negative impact on their language learning.
“This study is one of the first to delve into the impact of early smartphone use on learning levels using a more sophisticated counterfactual design and nationwide standardized tests,” says Tiziano Gerosa. “It is, in fact, a quasi-experimental study that uses longitudinal INVALSI data on children and pre-adolescents transitioning from primary to lower secondary school.”
The study included a sample of 1,672 Italian students from lower secondary schools, with data collected over time by INVALSI. The results showed that students with intensive screen use – and therefore subject to the potential negative effect of smartphones – comprised 23.5 percent of the Italian student population.
Marco Gui, Director of the Digital Transformation and Wellbeing Lab at the University of Milano-Bicocca, says, “These results not only confirm the existence of negative relationships between early smartphone use and life outcomes in the long-run, but also show that behind such correlations lies a direct negative impact.”
There has been ongoing debate about the impact of digital media use on the development of minors, and this study provides significant evidence to support the negative effects of early smartphone usage. Further research on this topic is ongoing at the Milano-Bicocca ‘Digital Transformation and Wellbeing Lab’, in collaboration with the University of Brescia and local associations. The EYES UP project (EarlY Exposure to Screens and Unequal Performance) aims to analyze the impact of a range of early online devices and experiences on learning levels throughout students’ academic careers.
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