Relationship Between Instagram, Body Satisfaction, and Self-Esteem in Early Adulthood

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of Instagram use on body satisfaction and self-esteem in young adults 20 to 40 years (N = 95). Given the widespread use of social media and its potential influence on body image, we sought to understand how Instagram use may contribute t...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Flores Mata, Cristina, Castellano-Tejedor, Carmina
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)
Repositorio:O2, repositorio institucional de la UOC
OAI Identifier:oai:openaccess.uoc.edu:10609/153374
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10609/153374
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:instagram
body dissatisfaction
body image
self-esteem
Descripción
Sumario:Background/Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of Instagram use on body satisfaction and self-esteem in young adults 20 to 40 years (N = 95). Given the widespread use of social media and its potential influence on body image, we sought to understand how Instagram use may contribute to body dissatisfaction and self-esteem, particularly through quantitative analysis of self-report measures. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design in which the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and additional ad hoc questions designed to assess Instagram usage patterns were employed. Results: The results indicated that greater Instagram use is associated with increased body dissatisfaction (p = 0.005), although it did not significantly affect self-esteem (p = 0.211). Gender did not play a significant role in these relationships (p = 0.173). Notably, a significant positive correlation was found between body satisfaction and self-esteem, showing that individuals with higher body satisfaction also reported higher self-esteem (p < 0.001). Further analyses indicated that users exposed to appearance-centered content were more likely to report body dissatisfaction. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Instagram usage, particularly in the context of appearance-focused content, has a considerable impact on body dissatisfaction among young adults but does not appear to influence self-esteem. This highlights the importance of developing interventions focused on promoting healthy social media habits and critical content engagement to mitigate negative impacts on body image. Social media exposure should be a key component in future interventions designed to improve body image and overall psychological well-being.