Media, youth, and body image
With social media’s effects on youth in the headlines, the slow decline in the pandemic lingering on, and mental health care needs for children on the rise, the interactions of media and body image have rarely been more relevant. From parents to policy-makers, solid, evidence-based information is vital for understanding and addressing these complex effects.
Our dedicated research guide on Body Image and Social Media provides a comprehensive overview of this specific field, including prominent books, journals, and researchers.
Our curated, searchable database of citations here on Media Health Effects compiles dozens of peer-reviewed articles on body image. Here are a few recent examples:
- How unenhanced images and #enhancement-free labels affect women’s body image
This study of undergraduate women finds that unenhanced images are associated with lower self-dissatisfaction than altered social media images but also that #enchancement-free labels reduce the beneficial effects.
- Emotional maltreatment, body image, and problematic smartphone use in adolescents
This survey of adolescents concludes that emotional abuse and neglect are directly and indirectly associated with body image dissatisfaction and problematic smartphone use.
- Effects of parodies of thin-ideal images on young women
In a controlled study of young women, social media images in parody of thin-ideal celebrity images are significantly correlated with positive mood and higher body satisfaction when compared with exposure to the original thin-ideal content.