Researchers observe more depressive symptoms and lower well-being among the most connected adolescents. Without demonstrating that social networks directly cause depression, their results invite us to pay particular attention to digital uses at the start of adolescence.
Two hours a day: the signal that calls to researchers
For many parents, the scene is familiar: a teenager who checks his phone as soon as he wakes up, interacts with his friends during meals and finds his applications even under the duvet. But when can this use become worrying?
A study published in June 2026 in the Medical Journal of Australia brings new elements. Led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, it is based on the monitoring of 1,153 young people as part of the Child to Adult Transition Study (CATS).
The participants, aged 9 to 19 during the study, recorded their time spent on social networks each year. The researchers also assessed their depressive symptoms, anxiety, well-being and possible self-harm behaviors.
The finding is worrying: adolescents who spend more than two hours a day on social networks present, twelve months later, more depressive symptoms and a lower level of well-being than those who spend less than an hour there.
The team led by Dr Nandi Vijayakumar, from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Deakin University, highlights: “Pre-adolescence stands out as a time when higher levels of social media use are associated with increased risk of mental health problems one year later..
The researchers point out, however, that the increases in risk remain modest. “Although the increases in risk were modest in our study, even small effects can have important public health consequences when large numbers of young people are exposed. This is why early adolescence could be the key time to intervene.”explains Dr Vijayakumar.
At 12-13 years old, adolescents would be particularly vulnerable
Why this age? Because it corresponds to a period of profound upheaval. Puberty transforms the body, the way others see it takes on considerable importance and personal identity is still being constructed.
In this context, social networks can amplify vulnerabilities. Images of idealized bodies, seemingly perfect lives, comments and number of “likes” sometimes fuel a permanent comparison. For a teenager whose self-esteem is still fragile, the feeling of never being good enough can become heavy.
Cyberbullying constitutes another risk: unlike school conflicts, online humiliation can follow young people home.
However, platforms are not systematically harmful. They also allow us to maintain connections, share experiences and find support. But their intensive use could become an additional factor of weakening, particularly among adolescents already in difficulty.
2h30 in adults: another study finds a link with depression
Adolescents are not the only ones affected. A second study, published in 2026 in npj Mental Health Researchanalyzed eleven American surveys carried out between 2014 and 2024, bringing together approximately 183,000 adults aged 18 to 70.
The researchers found an association between the time spent on social networks and the depression declared by the participants. In their statistical models, a benchmark appears around 150 daily minutes, or two and a half hours.
Please note, however: this duration does not constitute a medical threshold. It corresponds to a tipping point observed in predictive models, and not to a limit beyond which depression would automatically appear.
Researchers also do not demonstrate a cause and effect link. A person who is already depressed may, for example, spend more time on their phone because they isolate themselves, sleep poorly or seek comfort online.
The two studies nevertheless raise the same question: could significant daily exposure contribute to weakening mental health, particularly at the start of adolescence?
Should we limit screens? What parents can do
Should we therefore ban social networks for adolescents? Researchers don’t go that far. Professor Susan Sawyer recalls: “Our results do not indicate that social media is systematically harmful, but it is not without its drawbacks.”.
She recommends in particular “setting age-appropriate limits”, strengthening digital education and offering clearer parental supervision.
For families, the main thing is not just to count the minutes. A teenager who uses platforms to communicate with his friends does not necessarily have the same relationship with screens as another who feeds his complexes or anxiety there.
Disturbed sleep, progressive isolation, irritability, loss of interest in usual activities: certain changes should also attract attention.
Avoiding the phone in the bedroom at night, turning off unnecessary notifications and establishing screen-free time can help find balance.
But above all, it is important to maintain the dialogue. Behind the hours spent scrolling through videos sometimes hide very real needs: to be accepted, to find your place or not to feel alone.
But if mental suffering sets in, you must not stay alone. Health Insurance indicates that you can turn to your GP, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, an occupational physician, a medical-psychological center or suitable support systems. In case of suicidal thoughts, 3114 is accessible free of charge 24/7. In the event of immediate danger, invasive ideas with a plan to act or access to lethal means, you must call 15 or 112.
This work does not make it possible to set a universal duration without danger. On the other hand, they point out that 12-13 year olds constitute a particularly sensitive period, where supporting adolescents in their digital lives also means taking care of their mental health.