Dr Diane Purper-Ouakil coordinates a European study for France which studies the way young people surf the internet. The Montpellier University Hospital and the Jeu de Mail college are participating.
Head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry department at Montpellier University Hospital, Dr Diane Purper Ouakil is coordinating a three-year European study for France intended to better understand young people’s relationship with screens.
Why such a study?
This is already an opportunity to raise awareness about the problematic use of the internet which concerns many young people. This study aims to develop prevention tools and enable young people to better master the use of screens.
What are the main behaviors?
To summarize, there are two main categories of problematic internet use among young people. Impulsive use first, rather playful, where there is a real difficulty in interrupting consumption. And then compulsive use, where we cannot disconnect, for fear of missing information on social networks, for example. In both cases, it is difficult to drop out, but for different reasons.
“It’s difficult to set a limit for our teenagers”
“We’re a little lost in this world, we didn’t grow up with the internet”sighs a mother. “My son no longer plays ball with his friends”regrets another. “When he is on his screen, my teenager no longer shares with us, and it is difficult to set a limit for him”testifies a dad.
“The limit depends on the child and their use of the internet, replies Dr Purper-Ouakil. We must already ask ourselves whether there are factors indicating that its consumption is harmful. Tik Tok is not the most toxic social network. It is Instagram that induces the most negative effects, particularly for the image that teenagers have of themselves and the difficulty in disconnecting.”
Around sixty people were present at the Jeu de Mail college last Thursday for the conference-debate on digital addictions. A recurring question in many homes, and consequently in schools.
“Students are used to living with screens, and it is also a challenge for us teachers, explains one of them. This forces us to re-engage their attention and offer more diversified content.”
“To counter the internet, we can increase the appeal of other activities”confirms Dr Purper-Ouakil. “We play board games or go on family outings”continues a student.
Some make a more radical choice. “My daughter is in 6th grade and she will not participate in the study because she does not have a phoneexplains a mother. This was also the case for her big sister and it went well because she had friends in the same situation and we talked about it between parents.”
“Send alerts to young people”
What are the objectives of this European study?
The objective of the first year is to collect information on the way young people consume on the internet. This data will be sent anonymously to researchers and scientists. The second year will correspond to the launch of a pilot study with middle school students. The objective will be to develop an application that can send alerts to young people following their consumption. The idea is not to intrude into their private lives, but to make them aware through playful information messages. In the third year, when the application is ready, we will define three groups of middle school students to whom we will send three types of messages. It is believed that those corresponding to a personalized intervention will be the most effective in self-control.
Why is it important to involve young people in this process?
Whether we are parents, teachers or doctors, we are a little overwhelmed by the uses that young people make of the Internet, especially since they evolve very quickly. But what I observe is that teenagers are already asking questions about their consumption. It is more judicious to empower them and support them. Participating in this study also highlights them.
-“Think together”
Sophie Larmaillard is the college mental health referent for Jeu de Mail.
Why is your college participating in this study?
I found it rewarding to be part of this European study on the problematic use of screens among teenagers. I spoke about it to all the middle school students and almost 70 of them are already registered. This meeting also allows them to talk about it with their parents who may initially be suspicious. The goal is to show them that we work with the University Hospital and scientists. We want to create a dynamic with as many partners as possible. We already see that it is enriching to think together about a subject where the health of our teenagers is at stake.
How are you going to deal with them?
Mental health representatives will be trained within the college. The objective is for teenagers to think about their internet consumption. We have created a numerik team to deploy actions and projects for students and their families. Regarding the Bootstrap study, students who participate will have to install an application on their phone before they visit the University Hospital on January 28.
Have you met other European students?
Yes, we went to Porto last year with two student ambassadors from this study and an English teacher. We met middle school students from nine European countries participating in the Bootstrap study.
“Scrolling is the most problematic behavior”
What is the most difficult thing about setting up this study?
This is application development! It takes a lot of back and forth with Google and Apple to get it right. We must also convince middle school students and their parents of the merits of this study. It will also allow us to act as citizens at the European political level.
What have you noticed in recent years during your consultations?
Contrary to popular belief, I find that young people are increasingly critical of their use of the Internet, at least more than four or five years ago. They are more aware of commercial logic, and their thinking is better. They are less passive, and this is important, because scrolling is the most problematic behavior.
Advice: two TV programs and a book
What uses of the internet for young people? Two television programs (to watch in replay), cited by Sophie Larmaillard, and an essay, cited by a student’s mother, can help to see things more clearly.
“Dopamine” (on Arte.tv): this web series made up of seven-minute episodes (which gave rise to a 52-minute doc) shows how apps trap our brain.
“Digital influence” (on France TV): a program with a documentary retracing the fight of five women against five digital giants, followed by a debate.
“The digital moron factory”: an essay (Editions Seuil) by Michel Desmurget, doctor in neuroscience and director of research at Inserm, who decipher the dangers of screens for our children.
