Direct and indirect relationships between social media use and body satisfaction A prospective study among adolescent boys and girls

Cross-sectional research suggests a small, inverse association between social media use and body satisfaction. However, less is known regarding prospective, bidirectional, or mediating effects. In line with sociocultural theory, this study used a three-wave design to examine direct and indirect effects between social media use and body satisfaction, via thin-ideal and muscular-ideal internalisation and social comparisons. Adolescents (N = 1,911; Mage = 14.27, SD = 1.08) were invited to complete three surveys over 1-year. Cross-lagged panel models indicated acceptable fit for two social media use operationalisations, with better fit statistics for the appearance-focused use rather than photo-based activities model. Despite largely no direct effects, indirect effects were found. Social comparisons mediated the relationships over time, whereby higher social media use predicted higher comparisons, which predicted lower body satisfaction. The reverse direction was also found. Gender invariance indicates that prevention aimed at reducing comparisons may be suitable for boys and girls.

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Direct and indirect relationships between social media use and body satisfaction: A prospective study among adolescent boys and girls

New Media & Society ◽

10.1177/14614448211058468 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146144482110584

Author(s):

Hannah K Jarman ◽

Siân A McLean ◽

Amy Slater ◽

Mathew D Marques ◽

Susan J Paxton

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Indirect Effects ◽

Body Satisfaction ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Comparisons ◽

Reverse Direction ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Gender Invariance

Cross-sectional research suggests a small, inverse association between social media use and body satisfaction. However, less is known regarding prospective, bidirectional, or mediating effects. In line with sociocultural theory, this study used a three-wave design to examine direct and indirect effects between social media use and body satisfaction, via thin-ideal and muscular-ideal internalisation and social comparisons. Adolescents ( n = 1911; Mage = 14.27, SD = 1.08) were invited to complete three surveys over 1 year. Cross-lagged panel models indicated acceptable fit for two social media use operationalisations, with better fit statistics for the appearance-focused use rather than photo-based activities model. Despite largely no direct effects, indirect effects were found. Social comparisons mediated the relationships over time, whereby higher social media use predicted higher comparisons, which predicted lower body satisfaction. The reverse direction was also found. Gender invariance indicates that prevention aimed at reducing comparisons may be suitable for boys and girls.

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Loneliness and Its Association With Social Media Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Social Media + Society ◽

10.1177/20563051211033821 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 205630512110338

Author(s):

Tore Bonsaksen ◽

Mary Ruffolo ◽

Janni Leung ◽

Daicia Price ◽

Hilde Thygesen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Online Survey ◽

Media Use ◽

Age Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social And Emotional ◽

Emotional Loneliness ◽

Social Loneliness

Social distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic changed social interaction for many and increased the risk of loneliness in the general population. Social media use has been ambiguously related to loneliness, and associations may differ by age. The study aimed to examine loneliness and its association with social media use within different age groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia during April/May 2020, and 3,810 participants aged 18 years or above were recruited. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between social media use and social and emotional loneliness within separate age groups. Emotional loneliness was higher among young adults and among those who used social media several times daily. Adjusting by sociodemographic variables, using more types of social media was associated with lower social loneliness among the oldest participants, and with higher emotional loneliness among the youngest participants. Among middle-aged participants, using social media more frequently was associated with lower social loneliness. We found that the associations between social media use and loneliness varied by age. Older people’s engagement on social media may be a resource to reduce loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. We observed higher levels of loneliness among high-frequent social media users of younger age.

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The Influence of Social Media use on Practice of Covid-19 Preventive Measures Among Ethiopian Residents: An Online Cross-Sectional Study

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2021.184 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Abinet Arega Sadore ◽

Demelash Woldeyohannes Handiso ◽

Tekle Ejajo Wontamo ◽

Dejene Ermias Mekango ◽

Sisay Moges

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Preventive Practice ◽

Related Information ◽

Study Participants

Abstract Background: Infection with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a severe public health issue worldwide. A broad amount of information related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was disseminated by social media in Ethiopia. To date, there is limited evidence on the influence of social media use for covid-19 related information on covid-19 preventive practice. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the influence of social media use on the practice of COVID-19 preventive measures in Ethiopia. Methods: This study employed an anonymous internet-based online cross-sectional survey using Google forms to collects the data from the respondents from 15 May to 17 June 2020 in Ethiopia. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between social media usage as a predictor and COVID-19 preventive practice, after adjusting for socio-demographic and risk perception of COVID-19 variables. The data were analysed using SPSS version 21. Results: A total of 372 respondents have participated in the study. From 372, 208(55.9%) respondents in this study were male. Study participants who had good utilization of social media to get COVID-19 related information were 9.5 times engaged in COVID-19 preventive practices compared to study participants who had poor utilization of social media to get covid-19 related information (AOR= 9.59, 95% CI = 5.70 - 16.13). Also, study participants who had a high-risk perception of COVID-19 were 2.6 times engaged in COVID-19 practices compared to study participants who had a low-risk perception of covid-19 (AOR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.58 - 4.38). Study participants who were students at the time of this study were four times more likely to show adequate COVID-19 preventive practice score compared to those who had another occupational status (AOR= 4.07, 95% CI= 1.66 - 9.98) Conclusions: Our results show that the usage of social media networks can have a positive effect on the practice of preventive measures and public safety against COVID-19; high-risk perception contributed to preventive activities against COVID-19. Social networking platforms can be used by public health agencies as an important method to raise public health understanding by disseminating concise messages to targeted audiences.

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Divergent effects of social media use on meaning in life via loneliness and existential isolation during the coronavirus pandemic

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/02654075211066922 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 026540752110669

Author(s):

Peter J. Helm ◽

Tyler Jimenez ◽

Madhwa S. Galgali ◽

Megan E. Edwards ◽

Kenneth E. Vail ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Social Media ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Media Use ◽

The United States ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Media Usage ◽

Emotional Loneliness

Stay-at-home orders issued to combat the growing number of infections during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 had many psychological consequences for people including elevated stress, anxiety, and difficulty maintaining meaning in their lives. The present studies utilized cross-sectional designs and were conducted to better understand how social media usage related to people’s subjective isolation (i.e., social loneliness, emotional loneliness, and existential isolation) and meaning in life (MIL) during the early months of the pandemic within the United States. Study 1 found that general social media use indirectly predicted higher MIL via lower existential isolation and social isolation. Study 2 replicated these patterns and found that social media use also predicted lower MIL via higher emotional loneliness, and that the aforementioned effects occurred with active, but not passive, social media use. Findings suggest social media use may be a viable means to validate one’s experiences (i.e., reduce existential isolation) during the pandemic but may also lead to intensified feelings concerning missing others (i.e., increased emotional loneliness). This research also helps to identify potential divergent effects of social media on MIL and helps to clarify the relationships among varying types of subjective isolation.

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The “anti-vax” movement: a quantitative report on vaccine beliefs and knowledge across social media

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-12114-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Staci L Benoit ◽

Rachel F. Mauldin

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Media Use ◽

Knowledge Score ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Knowledge And Beliefs ◽

Twitter Users ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Vaccine Information

Abstract Background Social media use has become a mainstay of communication and with that comes the exchange of factual and non-factual information. Social media has given many people the opportunity to speak their opinions without repercussions and create coalitionS of like-minded people. This also has led to the development of a community know as anti-vaxxers or vaccine deniers. This research explores the extent to which vaccine knowledge has reached on social media. Methods This cross sectional research explored the relationship between the spread of information regarding vaccines in relation to social media use. A sample of 2515 people over the age of 18 around the world completed the survey via a link distributed on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. A series of questions on vaccine knowledge and beliefs were compounded to create an individual’s “knowledge score” and a “belief score”. Knowledge scores were ranked from low knowledge to high knowledge with increasing scores. Belief scores were ranked from belief in myths to disbelief in myths with higher scores. This score was then analysed, using a Welch test and post hoc testing when applicable, across demographics and questions relating to social media use. Results Significant relations were found in both the knowledge and belief categories, many of which were similar findings between the two. North Americans had significantly lower knowledge and belief scores compared to all other continents. While the majority of people primarily use Facebook, Twitter users were significantly more knowledgeable. It was also found that higher education was correlated with higher knowledge and belief scores. Conclusions Overall, these correlations are important in determining ways to intervene into the anti-vax movement through the use of social media. Cross demographics were not analysed in this study but could be in future studies. To better understand the social media exposures related to vaccine information a follow up structured interview research study would be beneficial. Note that due to the cross sectional nature of this study, causal relationships could not be made.

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Physical Activity and Attitudes Toward Social Media Use of Active Individuals During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: Cross-Sectional Survey

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.707921 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Mezna A. AlMarzooqi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Media ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Media Use ◽

Real Life ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active ◽

Social Media Platforms

Background: Social media became an integral part of the lives of people because it encourages social relations and shares interests, activities, and real-life connections. As quarantine and lockdown orders are prolonged, many people, as well as those physically active individuals, typically responded to this stressful condition by using social media platforms.Objective: This study aimed to examine the level of physical activity of physically active individuals and their attitudes toward social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among physically active individuals in Saudi Arabia between June 2020 and July 2020. An online survey was employed among eligible participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire that covered reasons for physical activity and attitudes toward social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of these 323 participants, 29.1% were in the age group of 18–24 years, 66.6% were women, and 67.8% were single. The proportion of participants whose metabolic equivalent of tasks-min/week from vigorous activity <1,680 was 31.9%, and all of the participants follow people or pages in social media related to sports teams and fitness models. The average number of hours spent on social media per day was 2.95 ± 0.90 h. The majority of the participants showed positive attitudes toward social media used for exercise and physical activity. Of the eight variables, age, level of physical activity, and the average of hours spent on social media emerged as significant predictors of attitudes toward the use of social media (P < 0.05).Conclusions: The present survey results indicate adverse consequences of home quarantine as reflected by a small proportion of participants who had differences in levels of vigorous activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Social media appears to be a key avenue to promote and disseminate health interventions to promote physical activity during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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Prevalence of problematic social media use among residents and teaching assistants in Ain Shams University Hospitals and faculty of medicine and its relationship to emotional distress

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcab102.009 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

H Allam ◽

G ELNahas ◽

M El-Habiby ◽

H Elkholy

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Media Use ◽

High Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

University Hospitals ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stress Levels ◽

Problematic Social Media Use

Abstract Background Social media use becomes pervasive and universal among young adults including medical personnel. Furthermore, it become established that more frequent use of the social media is associated with negative psychological well-being, anxiety which represents the second leading cause of disability among all psychiatric disorders and depression which represents the single largest contributor to global disability according to the World Health Organization. The Aim of this study To analyze the relationship between the use of social media, stress level, anxiety and depression among residents in Ain Shams University Hospitals (ASUH) and academic demonstrators in faculty of medicine. Patients and Methods This is an observational cross-sectional study, Conducted in Ain Shams University hospitals (ASUH), we included 200 of staff and medical school academics in faculty of medicine, starting from February 2018 till August 2019. Results 33 participants showed average social media use representing 16.5% while 167 participants showed problematic social media use representing 83.5%. 11 participants showed low stress levels representing 5.5%, 127 participants showed moderate stress levels representing 63.5% while 62 participants showed high stress levels representing 31%. Conclusion Social media use by clinicians is widespread, especially by younger clinicians for personal and reference purposes. Use of multiple SM platforms is independently associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, even when controlling for overall time spent in their use.

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