Social comparisons on social media: online appearance-related activity and body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls

INTRODUCTION

Adolescents' engagement with online social networking platforms is advancing at an exponential rate and research is needed to investigate any impact on young users' mental health. This study examined appearance-related activity (e.g. looking at photos of friends) on social media and body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls.

METHODS

Self-report measures of online appearance-related activity, social comparisons to female target groups, internalization of the thin ideal, body dissatisfaction, and self-esteem were administered to 210 girls (mean age = 15.16 years).

RESULTS

Body dissatisfaction was significantly related to (i) time spent engaged in social comparisons and (ii) upward social comparisons with various female targets while online. Evaluating oneself less favorably than the target group of close friends was most strongly associated with poorer body image appraisals. Serial multiple mediation analysis revealed that even after controlling for age and self-esteem, time spent engaged in social comparisons significantly mediated the relationship between online appearance-related activity and body dissatisfaction. This association was then further partially mediated by internalization of the thin ideal, which significantly mediated the relationship between time engaged in social comparisons and body dissatisfaction.

DISCUSSION

Results are discussed in terms of online social media platforms representing an additional appearance culture environment for adolescent girls. The effects of this on the mental health of vulnerable users and how future research should investigate protective factors that may buffer young girls from the adverse effects of social media are considered.

Outrunning a bad diet: interactions between exercise and a Western-style diet for adolescent mental health, metabolism and microbes

Adolescence is a period of biological, psychological and social changes, and the peak time for the emergence of mental health problems. During this life stage, brain plasticity including hippocampal neurogenesis is increased, which is crucial for cognitive functions and regulation of emotional responses. The hippocampus is especially susceptible to environmental and lifestyle influences, mediated by changes in physiological systems, resulting in enhanced brain plasticity but also an elevated risk for developing mental health problems. Indeed, adolescence is accompanied by increased activation of the maturing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sensitivity to metabolic changes due to increased nutritional needs and hormonal changes, and gut microbiota maturation. Importantly, dietary habits and levels of physical activity significantly impact these systems. In this review, the interactions between exercise and Western-style diets, which are high in fat and sugar, on adolescent stress susceptibility, metabolism and the gut microbiota are explored. We provide an overview of current knowledge on implications of these interactions for hippocampal function and adolescent mental health, and speculate on potential mechanisms which require further investigation.

The Meaning and Factors That Influence the Concept of Body Image: Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography from the Perspectives of Adolescents

Community care nurses educate adolescents about body image, but their interventions appear to be ineffective. Body dissatisfaction predicts unhealthy behaviors among adolescents. This study aimed to understand the meanings and factors that influence the concept of body image through a systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative studies from the perspective of adolescents. Ten studies published from 2009–2019 were identified by a search of relevant systematic databases between September and December 2019. The review followed the seven steps of meta-ethnography developed by Noblit and Hare, including a line-of-argument. The synthesis revealed six themes: self-perception of body image; opinions of friends and colleagues; opinions of family; specific features of the school environment; expectations perceived across the mass-media; and strategies, practices, and self-management of body image. An explanatory model was developed that showed adolescents’ development of body image and the path towards its establishment. In conclusion, these results should be considered to implement strategies to promote a healthy body image in adolescents by community health and mental health nurses.

Appearance and Speech Satisfaction and Their Associations With Psychosocial Difficulties Among Young People With Cleft Lip and/or Palate

OBJECTIVE

Previous research has found lower appearance and speech satisfaction among those with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) compared to noncleft control groups. Less research has been conducted into which groups report the lowest satisfaction and how these two factors relate to psychosocial difficulties. This study aimed to investigate (1) differences in appearance and speech satisfaction by diagnosis and age among young people with CL/P and (2) associations between appearance and speech satisfaction and emotional and social difficulties.

DESIGN

Self-report questionnaires that had been collected between June 2016 and August 2018 within routine clinical practice were analyzed.

SETTING

A tertiary pediatric hospital in London.

PATIENTS

A total 130 nonsyndromic 10- and 15-year-old patients with CL/P.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Cleft Hearing, Appearance and Speech Questionnaire; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

RESULTS

The CLP group reported significantly lower appearance satisfaction compared to the CP group (P = .005). The 15-year-olds reported significantly lower appearance satisfaction compared to the 10-year-olds (P = .008). No significant differences were found in speech satisfaction by diagnosis (P = .06) or age (P = .064). Significant negative associations were found at 15 years old between appearance satisfaction and emotional difficulties, speech satisfaction and emotional difficulties, appearance satisfaction and social difficulties, and speech satisfaction and social difficulties (P < .05 all correlations). Only the latter two associations were significant at 10 years old (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings have important implications as appearance and speech dissatisfaction may be ways in which to identify those at risk of psychosocial difficulties within clinical settings.