Around 45% of 10 to 12-Year-Old Children in the U.S. Have a Smartphone

Approximately 45% of 10 to 12 years olds in the United States have their own smartphone with a service plan. This doesn’t include children in that age range who have access to Wi-Fi only devices.

Teens Who Spend 5 Hours on Their Phone Per Day Are Nearly Twice as Likely to Have Depression Symptoms

Among teens, those that spend 5 hours per day on their smartphone, on average, are almost twice as likely to have depression symptoms when compared to peers who use their devices less.

45% of Teens Check Their Device After Going to Bed

Overall, around 45% of teenagers check their smartphones after going to bed. And social media is the #1 thing keeping them up at night: 94% of these teens are using social media apps after bedtime.

Half of Teens Say They Are Addicted to Their Smartphone

While not officially diagnosed by a medical professional, 50% of teens state that they “feel addicted” to their smartphone.

89% of College Students Experience Phantom Vibration

Among undergraduate college students, phantom vibrations – where the person believes they feel a mobile phone vibration indicating an incoming call, message, or notification, but their phone isn’t actually vibrating – are common. Overall, about 89% report experiencing the phenomenon.

Over Half of Mobile Device Users Worldwide Feel Anxious If Their Phone Isn’t Nearby

Overall, around 53% of mobile device users feel anxious if their phone isn’t close by.

https://firewalltimes.com/cell-phone-usage-statistics/

• What kind of online world do I want to have?

• Do I want my online world to consist of more people than those who make me happy?

• Would I want this person to connect with me online (or with whom I want to connect) in my offline world?

• Are my tech habits helping me to connect with others, including my parents and siblings? Or are they driving me away from others?

• Is my online behavior appropriate?

• Am I being the “me” I want to be?

• Is the content I’m looking at and paying attention to appropriate?

• Does my use of technology support my passions and values?

• Does my use of technology help me find other things I might like to prioritize?

• What are my commitments?

• Does my use of technology help me to stay committed?

• Does it connect me to other things I’d like to commit to? Or does it undermine my commitments?

• What healthy habits and rhythms am I creating in my life?

• Does my use of technology support my habits?

• Am I using social media right now because I need approval?

https://psychcentral.com/blog/25-questions-for-discussing-tech-use-with-your-teen#1

How to set up Apple Screen Time Parental Controls: https://www.bark.us/tech-guide/app-management-apple-screen-time/

The Raging Debate About Smartphones and Teenage Mental Health by David Leonhardt in The New York Times

How High Achievers Overcome Their Anxiety, by Morra Aarons-Mele in Harvard Business Review

The Teen Mental Illness Epidemic Began Around 2012, by Jon Haidt

The new CDC report shows that Covid added little to teen mental health trends by Jon Haidt

Social Media is a Major Cause of the Mental Illness Epidemic in Teen Girls. Here’s the Evidence. by Jon Haidt

10 things to know about how social media affects teens' brains by Cory Turner in NPR

How grown-ups can help kids transition to 'post-pandemic' school life by Jonaki Mehta in NPR

The teens are not all right. We should all be alarmed. by By Marcela García in The Boston Globe

Teen Girls Report Record Levels of Sadness, C.D.C. Finds by Azeen Ghorayshi and Roni Caryn Rabin in The New York Times

CDC says teen girls are caught in an extreme wave of sadness and violence By Erika Edwards in NBC News

Female and LGBTQ+ Teens Report Record-High Levels of Mental Health Challenges, CDC Finds by Lauraine Langreo in Education Week