Daniel's Second Beast Bear: Children Glued To Phones Turning Into High-Strung, Depressed Teens...

And behold another beast like a bear stood up on one side: and there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh. Dan.7.5 

Children Glued to Phones More Likely to Become High-Strung, Depressed Teens

JYVÄSKYLÄ, Finland — In case you needed another reason to hold off on buying your child a phone, research shows a troubling connection between childhood screen habits and teenage mental well-being. The eight-year study, which tracked children from elementary school into adolescence, found that kids who racked up more screen time—especially on mobile devices—showed higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms as teenagers.The study adds to the large body of research that should make parents think twice about unlimited device access, especially as more children experience mental health struggles at an early age. Between one-quarter and one-third of adolescents worldwide experience mental health problems, with symptoms typically first appearing during the teenage years. Researchers now have more concrete evidence about lifestyle factors that might help prevent psychological distress before it takes root. 

Digital Habits and Mental Health: What the Research Shows 

Study authors used data from the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study, which followed 187 Finnish children over eight years, from ages 6-9 into their mid-teens. Researchers regularly checked in on their physical activity, screen time, sleep patterns, and eating habits. When these children reached adolescence (average age 15.8), the researchers assessed their mental health using standardized measures of stress and depression. The data painted a clear picture: teenagers who had accumulated more total screen time and mobile device use throughout childhood showed significantly higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms. The connection between mobile device use and depression was particularly strong, showing a “moderate effect size”—substantial in behavioral research terms. Source