L’utilisation des réseaux sociaux (RS) comporte des dangers, notamment quand on méconnaît les risques inhérents à un usage problématique et excessif qui évoquent la notion de « dépendance ». La dépendance aux réseaux sociaux pourrait être définie sur la base de plusieurs critères de dépendance comme la négligence de la vie personnelle, la préoccupation mentale et l’évasion. Cependant, ce phénomène apparaît toujours comme une catégorie nécessitant encore une confirmation à partir de travaux scientifiques. L’usage problématique des réseaux sociaux pourrait être considéré proche des addictions comportementales et notamment de l’usage pathologique des jeux sur Internet. Nous sommes encore au début des études sur ce phénomène. Notre objectif est d’explorer l’utilisation de (RS) et les liens avec différentes dimensions psychopathologiques comme l’anxiété, la dépression mais aussi, entre autres, l’impulsivité et l’estime de soi. Nous proposons ici les premiers résultats d’une étude empirique exploratoire de l’usage des réseaux sociaux conduite auprès d’adolescents mineurs de l’Île-de-France. Les résultats montrent que 85,9 % des jeunes interrogés utilisent un RS et que 38,1 % des adolescents s’y inscrivent avant l’âge « réglementaire » de 13 ans. Un probable usage problématique des réseaux sociaux a été trouvé dans 14,48 % des participants (selon le questionnaire de Young adapté pour les réseaux sociaux). Les jeunes utilisant un RS présenteraient plus de risque de dépendance à l’alcool et au cannabis, plus de risque d’avoir un usage problématique des jeux de hasard et d’argent (p=0,0498), une plus forte symptomatologie dépressive au CES-D et une plus forte symptomatologie anxieuse. Cela semble conforter l’intérêt de se référer aux thérapies cognitivo-comportementales dans la prise en charge des usages problématiques des réseaux sociaux. Des études ultérieures seront nécessaires pour mieux identifier les critères de diagnostic de la dépendance aux RS, valider les instruments d’évaluation et mesurer l’efficacité thérapeutique des TCC dans ce contexte.

The popularity of Social Networking (SN) has been growing exponentially over the last decades. This success is based primarily on the fact that SN users are able to communicate with any part of the world and to easily access information at anytime from anywhere. If SN has lots of benefits, unfortunately it is quite dangerous, especially for young users: indeed it involves risks such as self-exposure, exposure to abusive and malicious people, and may lead to various phenomena such as social isolation, physical or mental problems with consequent changes in the users’ quality of life (Diomidous et al., 2016). The literature review reveals a correlation between Social Networking use and specific dispositional attributions and behavioral factors. Some studies show correlations between a problematic use of SN and different psychopathological dimensions such as anxiety, depression as well as some personality traits (impulsivity, self-esteem…). Rewards and gratification mechanisms also seem to be involved. Some authors define the “SN Addiction Disorder” on the basis of several addiction criteria: neglect of personal life; mental preoccupation, escapism; mood modifying experiences… Other authors underline its potential relationship with behavioral addictions, especially with the “Internet gaming disorder” (Coeffec et al., 2015). Studies from several countries indicate different problematic SN use prevalence rates, mainly due to the lack of a common and valid definition of SN “addiction” and to the use of a wide-range of evaluation instruments (Guedes et al., 2016; Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). We aim to explore the use of social networks and its links with different psychopathological dimensions such as anxiety, depression but also impulsivity, self-esteem, among others.

Main methodological and procedural elements of the study: 1423 teenagers from the Paris region (M age=15.1, σ=1.4) responded to a battery of questionnaires, including: Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Hospital Depression Scale (HAD), Diener Life Scale (ESDV-5), Temperament Questionnaire (EAS), Impulsivity Scale Rosenberg Self-Esteem (ESA) and a questionnaire including items on pathological SN use (PSNU).

The first study results show that 85.9% of the young people surveyed use SN and 38.1% have registered before the legal minimum age of 13. SN users show: greater risk dependence to alcohol (P=0.00001) and cannabis (P=0.0001), they are also more likely to develop pathological gambling (P=0.0498). They show a higher depressive at CES-D (P=0.0016) and anxiety symptomatology (P=0.0149), a higher “emotionality” (P=0.0002), “sociability” (P=0.0010) and “impulsivity” behavior and a lower “timidity” (P=0.0010). Moreover, their “impulsivity” is significantly higher in all dimensions of the UPPS (positive and negative urgency, sensation seeking and lack of premeditation), with the exception of “lack of perseverance”.

The literature review establishes the evidence for the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy treatment and therapeutic support programs for people with problematic use of social networks based on the proximity between these uses and the addiction to video games on the Internet and the problematic use of the Internet (Griffiths et al., 2014) and mobile phones (Young, 2013; Kuss et al., 2016). The literature review also examines their relationship with cognitive models. Considering the small number and the significant limitations of available studies, future direction for research in this area is needed to measure the therapeutic efficacy of CBT and evaluate the effectiveness of the models, programs and tools used (Kuss & Griffiths, 2013). Finally, in analyzing the use of social networks, the potential problematic behaviors and their consequences (such as anxiety and depression among young people, as shown in our study), it is necessary to consider the technological revolution that this phenomenon represents, as well as natural fluctuations and spontaneous recovery of a problematic use. And when this recovery does not occur, users should be offered the opportunity of an appropriate therapeutic approach. A special attention should be drawn to avoid premature application of diagnosis in the medical community. In fact, a premature or scientifically flawed diagnosis could cause significant stigma, especially for children and young adults.