A small study with children between 12 and 17 suggests that using a mobile phone slightly improves your mood. The debate on whether adolescents should have access to these devices he warm again.
Experts are still divided on the subject: there are those who claim that mobile phones are contributing to a mental health crisis; Others argue that there is no evidence that proves this connection.
In a study recently in PLOS Onetwo researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, went further and showed a relationship of happiness between children and mobile phones.
As detailed A, 253 children were recruited in the US to participate in a six-day study, sending them 30 small inquiries by text at random times between 9am and 9pm.
The inquiries asked the young people if they were on the phone as they received the text message as well as to classify their mood on a 7 -point scale right now and before taking it on the phone.
On average, the respondents said that, on a scale of 7, their mood had risen 5 to 5.5when they used the phone, which suggests that they used it as a STATE OF SPIRIT MANAGEMENT TOOL.
Speaking to New Scientist, Matt Minichone of the study’s authors said that “the children reported being better disclaimed when they used the mobile phone.
In addition, “they mentioned that their mood had improved during the time they used their mobile phone“.
“Do you want to say that mobile phones are good for teenagers?”questioned the magazine.
Recently, in an interview with Expresso, the Spanish doctor Marc Massip stated that Dependence on a mobile phone is similar to that of heroin.
The expert argued that children, because the brain is still under development.
In the case of parents who have already given their children, Marc Massip says they should not be afraid to step back and deviate them or “at least, set boundariescreating a kind of technological contract, with prohibition of use at certain times or contexts. ”
The doctor agreed and recommended the ban on mobile phones in schools: “I think It is urgent ”.
To counteract this thesis, another recent concluded that the breaks to use Mobile phone in class improve the grades .
However, in the “big ones”, another October last year suggested the opposite :.
The analysis of the results allowed to find that, in the group that avoided the mobile phones, the satisfaction and motivation at workthe balance between professional and personal life and mental health have improved significantly.
After all, what did we stay in?
The authors of the new study move away from generalizations and consider that mobile phones are not “No bons no maus”.
However, he warned Matt Minich, “if the use of the mobile phone becomes a crutch that prevents them from learning other ways to regulate humor, can become addictive or compulsive behavior” – admitted.
The important thing is to teach children how to use their mobile phone. New Scientist herself, in June 2024, an article where she maintains that the solution is not forbidding and propagating fear, but educate and sensitize the youngest for the proper use of technologies.
