La Trobe

Direct and indirect relationships between social media use and body satisfaction: A prospective study among adolescent boys and girls

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posted on 2024-02-11, 23:30 authored by Hannah JarmanHannah Jarman, Sian McLeanSian McLean, A Slater, Mathew MarquesMathew Marques, Susan PaxtonSusan Paxton
Cross-sectional research suggests a small, inverse association between social media use and body satisfaction. However, less is known regarding prospective, bidirectional, or mediating effects. In line with sociocultural theory, this study used a three-wave design to examine direct and indirect effects between social media use and body satisfaction, via thin-ideal and muscular-ideal internalisation and social comparisons. Adolescents (n = 1911; Mage = 14.27, SD = 1.08) were invited to complete three surveys over 1 year. Cross-lagged panel models indicated acceptable fit for two social media use operationalisations, with better fit statistics for the appearance-focused use rather than photo-based activities model. Despite largely no direct effects, indirect effects were found. Social comparisons mediated the relationships over time, whereby higher social media use predicted higher comparisons, which predicted lower body satisfaction. The reverse direction was also found. Gender invariance indicates that prevention aimed at reducing comparisons may be suitable for boys and girls.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant [DP170100709] and La Trobe University, Melbourne.

History

Publication Date

2024-01-01

Journal

New Media and Society

Volume

26

Issue

1

Article Number

14614448211058468

Pagination

21p. (p. 292-312)

Publisher

SAGE

ISSN

1461-4448

Rights Statement

© The Authors 2024. Jarman, H. K., McLean, S. A., Slater, A., Marques, M. D., & Paxton, S. J. (2024). Direct and indirect relationships between social media use and body satisfaction: A prospective study among adolescent boys and girls. New Media & Society, 26(1), 292-312. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211058468 This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/, whereby credit must be given to the creator, only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted and no derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.

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