Introduction:

Continuous increase in the use of social networks and the Internet, especially in the adolescent population, requires an in-depth study of the phenomenon, identifying its problematic use and the factors related to a possible risk of addiction.

Objective:

Evaluate the risk of addiction to social networks and the Internet and its relationship with life and social-emotional skills in a sample of adolescents.

Method:

A non-experimental correlational-level quantitative study was carried out, with the sample of 221 students from a public school. Was aplied the Adolescent Risk Scale for Addiction to Social Media and Internet, Life Skills Scale and some scales to assess socio-emotional skills.

Results:

Was found a medium level of risk of addiction in the study sample M 2,5 (Dt 0,6), showing the statistically significant difference in addiction symptoms (p=0,001), social use (p=0,044) and nomophobia (p=0,002) with the higher scores in the female gender, and in friki traits (p=0,001) with the higher scores in the male gender. Scores between M 1,4 (Dt 0,2) and M 2,0 (Dt 0,8) indicated a low level of life skills, with a statistically significant difference in all ten constitutive dimensions with the higher scores in the female gender. The socio-emotional skills was indicated the statistically significant difference in self-esteem (p=0,002), self-efficacy (p=0,000), life satisfaction (p=0,001) and tolerance to frustration (p=0,001) with the higher scores in the male gender. Resilience (p=0,019) and social skills (p=0,015) were significantly higher in women. Were identified negative correlations between variables: total risk of addiction with life skills (r=-0,475/p=0,009); friki traits with empathy (r=-0,140/p=0,037), emotion management (r=-0,159/ p=0,018), resilience (r=-0,245/p=0,000) and self-efficacy (r=-0,238/p=0,000); nomophobia with self-efficacy (r=-0,163/p=0,015) and frustration tolerance (r=-0,223/p=0,001); addiction symptoms with life satisfaction (r=-0,119/p=0,008) and tolerance to frustration (r=-0,357/p=0,000); social use of networks with the management of tensions and stress (r=-0,169/p=0,012). Also, positive correlations were identified between the use of social networks and some dimensions of social skills.

Conclusions:

The deficiencies in the soft skills of adolescents could be related to the increased risk of adiction to social networks and the Internet. On the other hand, a good development of these skills, added to other protective factors, could contribute to a responsible and careful management of the virtual world.

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