Social media uses amongst adolescents: motives, minority stress and eudaimonic well-being / Uso de redes sociales en adolescentes: motivación, estrés de minorías y bienestar eudaimónico

Introduction: The scientific evidence regarding the effects of online social media use on the well-being of adolescents is mixed. In gen-eral, passive uses (receiving, viewing content without interacting) and more screen time are related to lower well-being when compared with active uses (direct interactions and interpersonal exchanges). Objectives:This study ex-amines the types and motives for social media usage amongst adolescents, differentiating them by gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as its effects on eudaimonic well-being and minority stress. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1259 adolescents, aged 14 to 19 (M= 16.19; SD= 1.08), analysing the Scale of Motives for Using Social Net-working Sites, eudaimonic well-being, the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory, screen time and profile type. Results:The results found that longer use time is related to finding partners, social connection and friendships; that gay and bisexual (GB) adolescents perceive more distal stressors online;and that females have higher levels of well-being. Discus-sion: The public profiles of GB males increase self-expression, although minority stress can be related to discrimination, rejection or exclusion. Dif-ferentiated socialization may contribute to a higher level of well-being in females, with both active and passive uses positively effecting eudaimonic well-being in adolescents.(AU)

Introduction: The scientific evidence regarding the effects of online social media use on the well-being of adolescents is mixed. In general, passive uses (receiving, viewing content without interacting) and more screen time are related to lower well-being when compared with active uses (direct interactions and interpersonal exchanges). Objectives: This study examines the types and motives for social media usage amongst adolescents, differentiating them by gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as its effects on eudaimonic well-being and minority stress. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1259 adolescents, aged 14 to 19 (M = 16.19; SD = 1.08), analysing the Scale of Motives for Using Social Networking Sites, eudaimonic well-being, the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory, screen time and profile type. Results: The results found that longer use time is related to finding partners, social connection and friendships; that gay and bisexual (GB) adolescents perceive more distal stressors online; and that females have higher levels of well-being. Discussion: The public profiles of GB males increase self-expression, although minority stress can be related to discrimination, rejection or exclusion. Differentiated socialization may contribute to a higher level of well-being in females, with both active and passive uses positively effecting eudaimonic well-being in adolescents.(AU)

[The modeling of measures of prevention and shaping proper behavior in population as tool of averting redundant risks of morbidity and mortality as exemplified by COVID-19 pandemic].

The article considers issues of how population behavior impacts realization of state anti-epidemic measures and efforts to control pandemic. Materials and Methods. The methodology of the study is based on such methods as text analysis, elastic network and construction of regression equations. The analysis of indicators characterizing state policy measures controlling pandemic was applied according to data from The Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker portal. The behavioral reactions of population were assessed by text analysis of messages in Twitter and VKontakte social networks using the Rulexicon, tonalities dictionary of Russian language. The analysis of mobility was implemented on basis of data from Google Community Mobility Reports (GCMR). The study base includes data of March 12, 2020 - August 1, 2021. It is established that in controlling pandemic the most effective is to apply combination of measures implemented at state level of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation that permits to compensate negative effect of quarantine regimen. In the Russian Federation,effect of self-isolation measures, organization of remote work of employees of enterprises, closure of schools, wearing masks is controversial and their incorrect application can contribute to virus propagation. The vaccination measures are also effective in reducing morbidity of disease, but they are characterized by lagging effect. The approval and acceptance by population anti-epidemic measures significantly impact efficiency of pandemic control. The study results can be applied in practice of implementation of anti-epidemic measures as a tool preventing excessive risks of population morbidity and mortality.

Leveraging Experience Sampling/Ecological Momentary Assessment for Sociological Investigations of Everyday Life.

Experience sampling (ES) - also referred to as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) - is a data collection method that involves asking study participants to report on their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, activities, and environments in (or near) real time. ES/EMA is typically administered using an intensive longitudinal design (repeated assessments within and across days). Although use of ES/EMA is widespread in psychology and health sciences, uptake of the method among sociologists has been limited. We argue that ES/EMA offers key advantages for the investigation of sociologically relevant phenomena, particularly in light of recent disciplinary emphasis on investigating the everyday mechanisms through which social structures and micro (individual and relational) processes are mutually constitutive. We describe extant and potential research applications illustrating advantages of ES/EMA regarding enhanced validity, disentangling short-term dynamics, and the potential for linkage with spatially and temporally referenced data sources. We also consider methodological challenges facing sociological research using ES/EMA.

Mixed methods on adverse childhood experiences predicting transitional and recurrent homelessness.

AIMS: Research has associated lack of parental care, physical abuse, and parental substance abuse to homelessness, with the presence of two or more such factors dramatically increasing one's chances of becoming homeless as an adult. Less clear is which (cumulation of) factors may mediate the difference between transitional and recurrent homelessness. METHODS: Quantitative analysis of four risk factors-addiction, weak social network, criminal activity, psychopathology-among 69 transitionally and recurrently homeless (RH) adults, followed by in-depth qualitative analysis of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among 30 selected participants. RESULTS: RH participants had higher cumulative risk and a higher prevalence and broader range of ACEs than transitionally homeless participants, with the prevalence of childhood physical abuse marking the greatest difference between the two groups. Recurrent homelessness was also correlated with addiction to hard drugs, criminal activity, and weak social networks. CONCLUSION: Longitudinal and intervention studies in larger groups are needed to assess causality.

Social capital mediates knowledge gaps in informing sexual and reproductive health behaviours across Africa.

Advancing sexual and reproductive health is essential for promoting human rights and women's empowerment, and combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A large body of literature across the social sciences emphasizes the importance of social capital, generated through the strength of social networks, for shaping health behaviours. However, large-scale measurement of social capital and social networks remains elusive, especially in the context of low-income countries. Here we delve into the role of social capital dynamics, and in particular social connectedness across communities as measured through Facebook friendship links, in shaping knowledge diffusion and behaviour related to sexual and reproductive health in 495 regions across 33 countries in Africa. Our findings demonstrate that regions with higher levels of social connectedness are more similar in their knowledge about contraception and HIV testing, as well as their adoption of these behaviours. We further observe that the influence of social connectedness becomes stronger when the knowledge gaps between regions are larger. In other words, regions are more similar in behaviours, despite knowledge gaps, when they are socially connected. These insights carry significant policy implications, especially for the design and targeting of public health campaigns. We highlight that social connectedness can serve both as a driver and an obstacle in behaviour formation, underscoring the importance of understanding its influence on health-related outcomes.

Integrating knowledge systems for holistic approaches to addressing knowledge and health inequities: combining fuzzy cognitive maps.

This paper describes fuzzy cognitive mapping as an accessible and robust tool to strengthen community engagement in health promotion research. We outline how fuzzy cognitive mapping can combine, compare, and contextualize knowledge and priorities from diverse population groups as well as from evidence syntheses. We present procedures to represent a shared perspective across populations or population groups through reconciling maps by simple or weighted averaging. We present a novel second approach to reconciling derived from discourse analysis. We then present two procedures to contextualize one knowledge in another knowledge. The first procedure draws on Bayesian updating, providing a formal way to account for stakeholder knowledge in contextualizing other knowledge sources, including evidence syntheses. A second approach compares discourse patterns across maps derived from different sources. We provide examples of each procedure, describe how each may contribute to greater incorporation of patient- and community-level input in decision-making, and share tools for researchers interested in applications of fuzzy cognitive mapping.

Use of social media in radiation oncology: multicenter data from the GOCO Group.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the usage patterns and profiles of social media (SM) platforms among Radiation Oncologists (RO) and Physicists in the scope of the Catalan-Occitan Oncology Group (GOCO). Materials and methods: From November 2022 to March 2023, a comprehensive survey was sent to Radiation Oncology professionals within the GOCO group, comprising 31 questions that covered demographics (4) and general inquiries (9), user behavior on social media (7), profile of SM activity (7), and participants' opinions (4) regarding professional use of SM. The survey reached professionals from 12 centers, encompassing 10 in Catalonia and 2 in French Occitania. Results: The survey achieved a 61.37% response rate (178/290 professionals) with an average age of 41.9 years. 120 (67%) were ROs, and 58 (33%) were Physicists. Instagram led in usage (n = 116), followed by Facebook (n = 107) and Twitter (n = 77). Age correlated inversely with the number of platforms used (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient -0.238, p = 0.001). 28% (n = 42) changed clinical practices based on SM information. A 78.5% (n = 117) didn't counter inappropriate content. Most (71.7%, n = 109) spent < 1 hour daily on professional SM use, however more Physicians exceeded 2 hours compared to Physicists (Cohen's kappa 2 = 0.07). 41.8% (n = 64) weren't emotionally concerned while 22.9% (n = 35) felt overwhelmed by SM overload. Conclusions: The study offers valuable insights into the usage patterns, preferences, and attitudes of Radiation Oncology professionals towards SM platforms. This understanding is crucial for optimizing content quality and delivering relevant information, thereby enabling more effective marketing strategies and enhancing emotional management among these professionals.

Epidemic modeling for misinformation spread in digital networks through a social intelligence approach.

Online digital networks, including social networks, have significantly impacted individuals' personal and professional lives. Aside from exchanging news and topics of interest, digital networks play an essential role in the diffusion of information, which frequently significantly impacts worldwide societies. In this paper, we present a new mathematical epidemic model for digital networks that considers the sentiment of solitary misinformation in the networks and characteristics of human intelligence that play an important role in judging and spreading misinformation inside the networks. Our mathematical analysis has proved the existence and validity of the system in a real-time environment. Considering the real-world data, our simulation predicts how the misinformation could spread among different global communities and when an intervention mechanism should have to be carried out by the policyholders. Our simulation using the model proves that effective intervention mechanisms by isolating the fake news can effectively control the spread of misinformation among larger populations. The model can analyze the emotional and social intelligence of groups frequently subjected to disinformation and disseminating fake news.

[Climate crisis and psychiatry]. / Klimakrise und Psychiatrie.

BACKGROUND: The climate crisis is increasingly leading to negative consequences for mental health and is of growing importance for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care. OBJECTIVE: The effects of the climate crisis on mental health and its significance for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care are presented. Recommendations for sustainability in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice are provided. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A narrative review of the literature was conducted for this article. RESULTS: The climate crisis has direct, indirect and intersectional negative effects on mental health. Sustainable and preventive recommendations for the practice include promoting health literacy, faster access to psychotherapy and online counselling, supporting social networks, promoting employment and reducing poverty, homelessness and social isolation. It is recommended to increase the proportion of outpatient care and to streamline administrative processes. The use of disposable products should be minimized and the application of instrumental diagnostics and materials should be optimized according to guidelines. Digital interventions should be considered more frequently in the clinical practice and sustainable facility management should be improved. Access to green spaces for the general population and patients should be facilitated. CONCLUSION: Due to the negative impact of the climate crisis on mental health, sustainability should be promoted in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care.

Financial and digital financial literacy through social media use towards financial inclusion among batik small enterprises in Indonesia.

Batik, an Indonesian textile art form, holds immense economic and cultural importance. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) specialising in batik play a crucial role in Indonesia's economic growth and cultural preservation, contributing significantly to the gross domestic product (GDP) and preserving the nation's heritage. Nevertheless, these enterprises face several challenges, such as slow growth and limited access to credit. The batik industry also lags in financial literacy and the adoption of digital marketing strategies, hindering its development. This quantitative study aims to investigate the relationship between financial literacy, digital financial literacy, and financial inclusion in batik SMEs and also examined the moderating effect of online social networks. A survey was conducted involving 535 managers, owners, and financial officers of small batik enterprises. Subsequently, the SmartPLS statistical analysis method was employed for data analysis. The results demonstrate that financial literacy and digital financial literacy play a significant role in accessing financial inclusion for batik small enterprises. Moreover, the utilisation of social media was found to moderate these relationships, amplifying the impact of financial and digital literacy on financial inclusion. The findings contribute to the existing knowledge, provide insights for enhancing batik small enterprises, and propose a digital financial model to promote financial inclusion.

Increasing HIV Testing Among Sexual and Gender Expansive Men in Kazakhstan: A Stepped-Wedge Randomized Trial of a Community-Level Intervention.

Importance: HIV transmission in Kazakhstan has increased among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender and nonbinary people who have sex with men (TSM), driven by low HIV testing rates. Objective: To determine if the PRIDE in HIV Care intervention had a community effect of increasing HIV testing among MSM and TSM in Kazakhstan. Design: We employed a stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized controlled trial with MSM and TSM community members recruited from three cities in Kazakhstan: Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent. We collected serial cross-sectional data where community members completed one assessment between 21 August 2018, and 30 March 2022. Setting: We collected data from 629 MSM and TSM among the study cities. Community respondents were recruited from real-world (e.g., NGOs, bars, clubs) or virtual sites (e.g., social media, apps) where MSM and TSM in each of the three cities were known to frequent. Participants: Eligibility criteria for community respondents were: (1) ≥18 years old; (2) identifying as male at any point in life or being assigned male at birth; (3) having consensual sex with another man in the past 12 months; (4) engaging in binge drinking (i.e., ≥5 drinks in a 2 hour period), illicit use of drugs, or both in the past 90 days; and (5) residing in one of the three study cities. Intervention: The PRIDE in HIV Care intervention is a theory-driven "crowdsourcing and peer-actuated network intervention" designed to amplify community members' successes and resilience via "influencers" who can strengthen and impart benefit to their networks and community. Main outcome measures: Received an HIV test in the prior six months. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in odds of recent HIV testing for every additional month the intervention was implemented in a respondent's city (AOR=1.08, 95% CI=1.05-1.12; p<.001). Conclusions: The PRIDE in HIV Care intervention appears to be efficacious in enacting a community wide increase-i.e., promoted HIV testing among those who did not go through the intervention itself-in HIV testing among MSM and TSM. Trial Registration: This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02786615). Funding: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), grant number R01DA040513.

Effects of Screen-Based Leisure Time on 24 Subsequent Health and Wellbeing Outcomes: A Longitudinal Outcome-Wide Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that screen-based leisure time is related to physical and mental health, relationships, and prosocial behaviors. However, it remains unclear whether screen-based leisure time causally affects wellbeing, as previous studies have relied on cross-sectional data, focused on one type of media use (e.g., social media, video games, or internet), or assessed a narrow set of outcomes. METHOD: We used three waves (2016, 2017, 2019) of national longitudinal data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study to investigate the effects of screen-based leisure time on 24 parameters of wellbeing (n = 11,085). We operationalized screen-based leisure as the sum of time spent browsing the internet, using social media, watching/reading the news, watching videos, and playing video games. We followed the outcome-wide analytic design for observational data by performing a series of multivariable regression models estimating the effect of screen-based leisure time on 24 wellbeing outcomes and assessed potential unmeasured confounding using sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: In our primary analysis with the total sample, total screen-based leisure time was associated with a very modest decrease in body satisfaction and a very modest increase in body mass index. Possible evidence of associations was found with increases in number of hours spent exercising and volunteering each week, as well as decreases in number of average daily hours of sleep, self-control, and subjective health. CONCLUSION: Screen-based leisure time has the potential to affect health and wellbeing. Results are discussed in light of the high prevalence of screen-based leisure time.

A Wireless Wearable Ecosystem for Social Network Analysis in Free-living Animals.

Studying animal social systems requires understanding variations in contact and interaction, influenced by factors like environmental conditions, resource availability, and predation risk. Traditional observational methods have limitations, but advancements in sensor technologies and data analytics provide new opportunities. We developed a wireless wearable sensor system, "Juxta," with features such as modular battery packs and a smartphone app for data collection. A pilot study on free-living prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), a species with complex social behavior, demonstrated Juxta's potential for studying social networks and behavior. We propose a framework for merging temporal, spatial, and event-driven data, which can help explore complex social dynamics across species and environments.

Network spillover effects associated with the ChooseWell 365 workplace randomized controlled trial to promote healthy food choices.

Food choices are closely linked to culture, social relationships, and health. Because many adults spend up to half their time at work, the workplace provides a venue for changing population health-related behaviors and norms. It is unknown whether the effects of a workplace intervention to improve health behaviors might spread beyond participating employees due to social influence. ChooseWell 365 was a randomized controlled trial testing a 12-month healthy eating intervention grounded in principles of behavioral economics. This intervention leveraged an existing cafeteria traffic-light labeling system (green = healthy; red = unhealthy) in a large hospital workplace and demonstrated significant improvements in healthy food choices by employees in the intervention vs. control group. The current study used data from over 29 million dyadic purchasing events during the trial to test whether social ties to a trial participant co-worker (n = 299 intervention, n = 302 control) influenced the workplace food choices of non-participants (n = 7900). There was robust evidence that non-participants who were socially tied to more intervention group participants made healthier workplace food purchases overall, and purchased a greater proportion of healthy (i.e., green) food and beverages, and fewer unhealthy (i.e., red) beverages and modest evidence that the benefit of being tied to intervention participants was greater than being tied to control participants. Although individual-level effect sizes were small, a range of consistent findings indicated that this light-touch intervention yielded spillover effects of healthy eating behaviors on non-participants. Results suggest that workplace healthy eating interventions could have population benefits extending beyond participants.

Environmental, socioeconomic, and health factors associated with gut microbiome species and strains in isolated Honduras villages.

Despite a growing interest in the gut microbiome of non-industrialized countries, data linking deeply sequenced microbiomes from such settings to diverse host phenotypes and situational factors remain uncommon. Using metagenomic data from a community-based cohort of 1,871 people from 19 isolated villages in the Mesoamerican highlands of western Honduras, we report associations between bacterial species and human phenotypes and factors. Among them, socioeconomic factors account for 51.44% of the total associations. Meta-analysis of species-level profiles across several datasets identified several species associated with body mass index, consistent with previous findings. Furthermore, the inclusion of strain-phylogenetic information modifies the overall relationship between the gut microbiome and the phenotypes, especially for some factors like household wealth (e.g., wealthier individuals harbor different strains of Eubacterium rectale). Our analysis suggests a role that gut microbiome surveillance can play in understanding broad features of individual and public health.

Examining physical and virtual sexual and drug risk venue co-attendance among PrEP-eligible Latinx sexual minority men.

Disparities in Latinx sexual minority men (LSMM) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation and adherence demonstrate the need for innovative strategies to improve outcomes along the PrEP Care Continuum. The purpose of this study was to examine physical and virtual risk venue co-attendance among LSMM of varying stages of PrEP use living in South Florida, an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) priority jurisdiction. Venue co-attendance may be leveraged to support equitable dissemination and implementation (D&I) of HIV and drug use preventive interventions to LSMM. Ninety-four LSMM completed surveys on PrEP use and identified physical and virtual sexual and drug risk venues (where men seek sex partners and/or have sex or access or use drugs). Bivariate analyses examined differences in demographics and venue endorsement by PrEP status. Exponential random graph models examined endorsement of venues by PrEP status. One-mode projection visualizations portray the structure of venue co-attendance networks by PrEP status. Participants identified 49 physical and virtual sexual and drug risk venues. A homophily effect of PrEP status on venue endorsement was identified for both sexual and drug risk venues. Network size and density differed by PrEP status and whether the venue was identified as a sexual or drug risk location. Online dating apps, bars, and saunas had the highest centrality in each network type suggesting their potential role in implementing preventive programming. This study identified specific sexual and drug risk venues that may be leveraged to both disseminate targeted PrEP and harm reduction information and to implement interventions to improve PrEP uptake and adherence among LSMM living in EHE priority jurisdictions.

Mary Main's written legacy: a bibliometric analysis.

Mary Main's written work profoundly changed the direction of attachment research through her publications and through her teachings. The current study describes the scientific impact of her her published and unpublished work. We identified 85 such works. Web of Sciences contained k = 7,571 citations to these works from by 13,398 unique authors. The topics of citing work clustered around clinical psychological research, early dyadic relationships, romantic attachment, traumatic experiences, and the adult attachment interview itself. Based on co-citation patterns, Main shared an intellectual space with authors known for developmental psychopathology and child development, parent-child relationships, adult attachment, psychodynamic theorizing, and reciprocity in interaction and infant mental health. We discuss the impact of the "move to the level of representation" and how new ties with researchers unfamiliar with these ideas will be important to realize unused potential in the ideas and methods given to the field by Mary Main.

Improvements in mental health associated with increased electronic communication and deterioration in physical health in adults aged 50+ during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Previous studies have documented changes in physical health, mental health and social parameters during COVID-19. At the same time, there are no comprehensive analyses of these parameters designed as longitudinal studies on large-scale older populations before and during the pandemic. Objective: This longitudinal study aims to provide a quantitative analysis of the COVID-19 impact on the physical, mental, and social parameters in adults aged 50 and older before, in the early stages, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The data for this study were collected from three waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), a supranational longitudinal database: pre-COVID (October 2019-March 2020), early-COVID (June-September 2020), and during-COVID (June-August 2021). The sample included 31,526 individuals, compared across the three-time points through nonparametric group comparison tests. Results: Physical health was subjectively rated as poorer in the during-COVID wave compared to the pre-COVID wave. Additionally, the number of illnesses or health conditions reported in the during-COVID wave was significantly higher than in the pre-COVID wave, with the biggest increases registered for cardiovascular diseases. The results also show that employment and overall social contact decreased while loneliness increased over time. Unexpectedly, mental health issues, such as sadness or depression and trouble sleeping, decreased significantly in the COVID waves compared to the pre-COVID wave. The analysis of two additional pre-COVID waves (2015, 2017) revealed that poorer pre-COVID mental health reflected in high values of sadness or depression and trouble sleeping was not an isolated peak but represented a typical baseline. The positive influence on the individuals' mental health during COVID-19 was found to be electronic communication, which showed higher values than face-to-face communication and lowered the odds of sadness or depression. Conclusion: Future policies should thus consider the positive impact of electronic contacts on mental health to promote overall health in adults aged 50 and older.

The gender agency gap in fiction writing (1850 to 2010).

Works of fiction play a crucial role in the production of cultural stereotypes. Concerning gender, a widely held presumption is that many such works ascribe agency to men and passivity to women. However, large-scale diachronic analyses of this notion have been lacking. This paper provides an assessment of agency attributions in 87,531 fiction works written between 1850 and 2010. It introduces a syntax-based approach for extracting networks of character interactions. Agency is then formalized as a dyadic property: Does a character primarily serve as an agent acting upon the other character or as recipient acted upon by the other character? Findings indicate that female characters are more likely to be passive in cross-gender relationships than their male counterparts. This difference, the gender agency gap, has declined since the 19th century but persists into the 21st. Male authors are especially likely to attribute less agency to female characters. Moreover, certain kinds of actions, especially physical and villainous ones, have more pronounced gender disparities.

Issues Related to the Use of Visual Social Networks and Perceived Usefulness of Social Media Literacy During the Recovery Phase: Qualitative Research Among Girls With Eating Disorders.

BACKGROUND: The patient-centered approach is essential for quality health care and patient safety. Understanding the service user's perspective on the factors maintaining the health problem is crucial for successful treatment, especially for patients who do not recognize their condition as clinically relevant or concerning. Despite the association between intensive use of visual social media and body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, little is known about the meanings users assign to posting or searching for edited photos and the strategies they use to protect themselves from digital risks. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine how young women recovering from eating disorders in Northern Italy perceive the health risks and potential benefits associated with visual social networks (ie, Instagram and Snapchat). The literature has found these platforms to be detrimental to online body comparisons. It also explores the perceived usefulness, willingness, and personal interest in coconstructing social media literacy programs with girls recovering from eating disorders. METHODS: A total of 30 semistructured interviews were conducted with adolescent girls aged 14-17 years at the end of their treatment for eating disorders. The following areas of research were addressed: (1) the meanings associated with the use of Instagram and Snapchat; (2) the investment in the photographic dimension and feedback; (3) the impact of visual social networks on body experiences; (4) the potential and risks perceived in their use; (5) the importance of supporting girls undergoing treatment for eating disorders in using social networks; and (6) the usefulness and willingness to co-design social network literacy programs. Content analysis was applied. RESULTS: A total of 7 main contents emerged: active or passive role in using social networks, the impact of online interactions on body image, investment in the photographic dimension, effects on self-representation, perceived risks, self-protective strategies, and potential benefits. The findings highlight a strong awareness of the processes that trigger body comparisons in the virtual context, creating insecurity and worsening the relationship with oneself. The self-protective behaviors identified are the development of critical thinking, the avoidance of sensitive content, increased control over social networking site use, and a certain skepticism toward developing antagonistic ideologies. All these topics were considered fundamental. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide important insights for health professionals working with youth in preparing media literacy programs. These programs aim to reduce potential risks and amplify the positive effects of online resources. They underscore the importance of addressing this issue during hospitalization to develop skills and critical thinking aimed at changing small habits that perpetuate the problem in everyday life. The inherent limitations in current service practices, which may not adequately address individual needs or impact posttreatment life, must also be considered.