Influence of Social Media on Adolescent Females' Body Image Perceptions

Background/Purpose: Exacerbated by media and its portrayal of the thin ideal, high levels of body dissatisfaction among female adolescents have been linked to depression and eating disorder behavior. Although approximately 75% of all teens use social media sites, little is known about how social media can influence perceived body image. The purpose of this qualitative case study, based on theories of psychosocial development and social comparison, was to investigate the influence of social media use on adolescent females’ perceptions of their body image.  

Method: qualitative case study

Analysis/Results: Participants were drawn from a large Midwestern public high school using purposeful sampling. Via horizontalization, 4 themes emerged from individual semistructured interviews and participants’ 3-day record of social media use

Conclusions:  The 4 themes included: (a) female adolescents’ daily activities are influenced by perceived body image; (b) there is a distinct change in perceived body image with age; (c) social comparison is a constant activity for adolescent females; and (d) the area in which these students reside, which includes parental influence to fit the high ideal of the community, has a direct effect on perceived body image. Moreover, participants strongly believed that use of social media plays a major role in each of these themes. These findings were used to develop a curriculum for discussing body image, examining the influence of social media use on adolescents’ perceived body image, and drawing attention to the negative consequences of body dissatisfaction. It is expected that improving the perceived body image of female students will increase their self-esteem and body satisfaction, and thus reduce symptoms of depression and eating disorder behavior.