The association between social media addiction and eating disturbances is mediated by muscle dysmorphia-related symptoms: a cross-sectional study in a sample of young adults.
Eat Weight Disord
; 27(3): 1131-1140, 2022 Apr.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34176075
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
Although the association between problematic use of the internet and eating disorders (EDs) in young adults has been previously established, its underlying mechanisms have not been completely clarified. It has been suggested that exposure to idealized very thin and toned body images (e.g., "thinspiration" and "fitspiration" trends) on social media might lead to increased feelings of body dissatisfaction which, in turn, can represent a trigger for EDs. We have tested this hypothesis in a sample (N = 721) of young adults (504 females, mean age 24.13 ± 3.70 years; range 18-34).METHODS:
Self-report measures investigating symptoms related to social media addiction (SMA), muscle dysmorphia (MD), and EDs were used. A mediational model analyzing the direct and indirect effects of SMA-related symptoms on ED-related symptoms through the mediating role of MD-related symptoms was performed controlling for confounding factors (e.g., socio-demographic variables, substances use, body mass index, psychopathological distress).RESULTS:
The model showed that the total effect of SMA-related symptoms on ED-related symptoms was significant (B = 0.213; p = 0.022) and that this association was mediated by MD-related symptoms (B = 0.083; p = 0.021).DISCUSSION:
Our findings support the possibility that MD-related symptoms play a relevant role in mediating the association between SMA severity and ED pathology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Feeding and Eating Disorders
/
Social Media
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Eat Weight Disord
Journal subject:
GASTROENTEROLOGIA
/
METABOLISMO
Year:
2022
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy