Social Media Use and Body Image Disorders: Association between Frequency of Comparing One’s Own Physical Appearance to That of People Being Followed on Social Media and Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness

Barbara Jiotsa, Benjamin Naccache, Mélanie Duval, Bruno Rocher and Marie Grall-Bronnec
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Barbara Jiotsa: Addictology and Liaison Psychiatry Department, Nantes University Hospital, 44000 Nantes, France
Benjamin Naccache: Addictology and Liaison Psychiatry Department, Nantes University Hospital, 44000 Nantes, France
Mélanie Duval: Public Health Department, Nantes University Hospital, 44000 Nantes, France
Bruno Rocher: Addictology and Liaison Psychiatry Department, Nantes University Hospital, 44000 Nantes, France
Marie Grall-Bronnec: Addictology and Liaison Psychiatry Department, Nantes University Hospital, 44000 Nantes, France

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: (1) Summary: Many studies have evaluated the association between traditional media exposure and the presence of body dissatisfaction and body image disorders. The last decade has borne witness to the rise of social media, predominantly used by teenagers and young adults. This study’s main objective was to investigate the association between how often one compares their physical appearance to that of the people they follow on social media, and one’s body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. (2) Method: A sample composed of 1331 subjects aged 15 to 35 (mean age = 24.2), including 1138 subjects recruited from the general population and 193 patients suffering from eating disorders, completed an online questionnaire assessing social media use (followed accounts, selfies posted, image comparison frequency). This questionnaire incorporated two items originating from the Eating Disorder Inventory Scale (Body Dissatisfaction: EDI-BD and Drive for Thinness: EDI-DT). (3) Results: We found an association between the frequency of comparing one’s own physical appearance to that of people followed on social media and body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. Interestingly, the level of education was a confounding factor in this relationship, while BMI was not. (4) Discussion: The widespread use of social media in teenagers and young adults could increase body dissatisfaction as well as their drive for thinness, therefore rendering them more vulnerable to eating disorders. We should consequently take this social evolution into account, including it in general population prevention programs and in patients’ specific treatment plans.

Keywords: body image disorders; teenagers; social media; eating disorders; selfies; social comparisons; body dissatisfaction; drive for thinness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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