Prevalence of Problematic Use of Social Media

NCT06798480 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 69HCL24_00422024-A02539-38
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 1,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In 2023, French individuals spend an average of two hours per day on social media platforms (SM), primarily Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. While social media offers undeniable benefits, it also raises concerns about its impact on mental health and well-being. These impacts remain poorly understood, partly due to the diversity of social media uses and motivations, which do not have uniform effects on health. For instance, studies have shown that "active" use of social media (e.g., content creation) is associated with higher well-being, whereas "passive" use (e.g., content scrolling) is linked to lower well-being. This challenge in understanding the variety of social media uses and their consequences has direct clinical implications. Clinicians working in pediatrics, child psychiatry, and addiction medicine are increasingly confronted with patients struggling to manage their social media use. However, they lack clear diagnostic criteria to differentiate between normal and problematic use, as well as specific tools tailored to address potential disorders. Moreover, in France, there is no existing estimate of the proportion of the general population affected by problematic social media use. This study aims to establish the prevalence of problematic use of social media in France. The investigators hypothesize that the prevalence will be close to 10%, which is the prevalence that has been found in other European countries in previous studies.

Conditions

Social Networks; Addiction

Keywords

Problematic use; social media; addiction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Prevalence of problematic use of social media.

  Outcome measure: Problematic use will be identified if the participant endorses at least 6 out of 9 items on the French version of the Social Media Addiction Scale. The prevalence of problematic use will be calculated as the number of participants with problematic use divided by the total number of participants.

  baseline

Study Arms (1)

Social media users

All French individuals aged 13 years or older who use social media

Other: Self-administered survey

Interventions

Self-administered survey OTHER

An anonymous self-administered online questionnaire hosted on LimeSurvey, lasting approximately 20 minutes, will be completed by participants. A panel of participants representative of the general population will be provided by the Selvitys Institute. In parallel, the self-administered questionnaire will also be distributed via posts on social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and X) over a period of three months.

Social media users

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 13 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Panel population (probability sample):The first study population will consist of a panel of 3,900 participants provided by the Selvitys Institute. These participants are selected using probability sampling methods to ensure that they are representative of the general French population aged 13 years or older. The selection is based on key demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and geographic location, level of education, ensuring a diverse and balanced sample. Social media population (non-probability sample):The second study population will consist of individuals who voluntarily respond to the online self-administered questionnaire through recruitment campaigns on social media platforms. This non-probability sample is composed of individuals who actively use social media and are interested in participating. As participation is voluntary, the sample may not fully represent the broader French population but will provide insights into social media users' behavior and experiences

You may qualify if:

• Aged 13 years or older.
• Resident in France and French-speaking.
• Does not object to participating in the study, and, for minors, whose parents also do not object to their participation.

You may not qualify if:

• Unable to understand and complete the questionnaire (e.g., non-French-speaking).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hospices Civils de Lyon: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hospices Civils de Lyon

Lyon, 69003, France

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior, Addictive

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Compulsive Behavior; Impulsive Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Julia DE TERNAY, Dr

  Hospices Civils de Lyon

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Julia DE TERNAY, Dr

CONTACT

+33 04 72 11 78 52; julia.daviau-de-ternay@chu-lyon.fr

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 20, 2025
• First Posted: January 29, 2025
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2025
• Study Completion: July 1, 2025
• Last Updated: March 5, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Locations

FR (1)