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Photoshopping the selfie: Self photo editing and photo investment are associated with body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 15:10 authored by McLean, SA, Paxton, SJ, Wertheim, EH, Jennifer Masters

Objective: Social media engagement by adolescent girls is high. Despite its appeal, there are potential negative consequences for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating from social media use. This study aimed to examine, in a cross-sectional design, the relationship between social media use in general, and social media activities related to taking "selfies" and sharing specifi- cally, with overvaluation of shape and weight, body dissatisfaction, and dietary restraint.

Method: Participants were 101 grade seven girls (Mage5 13.1, SD5 0.3), who completed self-report questionnaires of social media use and body-related and eating concerns measures.

Results: Results showed that girls who regularly shared self-images on social media, relative to those who did not, reported significantly higher overvaluation of shape and weight, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, and internalization of the thin ideal. In addition, among girls who shared photos of themselves on social media, higher engagement in manipulation of and investment in these photos, but not higher media exposure, were associated with greater body-related and eating concerns, including after accounting for media use and internalization of the thin ideal.

Discussion: Although cross-sectional, these findings suggest the importance of social media activities for body-related and eating concerns as well as potential avenues for targeted social-media-based intervention.

History

Publication title

International journal of eating disorders

Volume

48

Issue

8

Pagination

1132-1140

ISSN

1098-108X

Department/School

Faculty of Education

Publisher

John Wiley and sons, Inc.

Place of publication

United States

Rights statement

Copyright 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Neonatal and child health

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    University Of Tasmania

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