Gupta Monica, Jassi Amita, Krebs Georgina
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
National and Specialist OCD and Related Disorders Clinic for Young People, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
Front Psychol. 2023 Aug 17;14:1231801. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1231801. eCollection 2023.
Social media use (SMU) is highly prevalent amongst young people and previous research suggests an association with mental health problems, including poor body image. However, the potential relationship between SMU and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has received little attention. Furthermore, little is known about the factors that moderate the potential association between SMU and body dysmorphic symptoms. The current study tested the associations between three facets of SMU and body dysmorphic symptoms and explored perfectionism as a moderator in a non-clinical sample.
Two-hundred and nine 16-18-year-olds (mean age = 16.5 years, 37% male) recruited from schools in London completed an online survey measuring aspects of SMU, including: frequency of image-and text-based SMU; motivations for SMU (appearance, popularity, connection or values and interests); and active and passive SMU. Participants additionally completed validated measures of body dysmorphic symptoms, perfectionism, and anxiety/depressive symptoms. Linear regression models tested the association of body dysmorphic symptoms with different facets of SMU, with and without adjustment for age, sex and anxiety/depressive symptoms.
Frequency of use of image-based, but not text-based, platforms was significantly and positively associated with body dysmorphic symptoms, and this association remained significant in the adjusted models. Appearance-based motivation for SMU was the only motivator uniquely associated with body dysmorphic symptoms across the unadjusted and adjusted models. Passive, not active, SMU was associated with body dysmorphic symptoms in unadjusted models, but this association became non-significant in the adjusted models. Self-oriented perfectionism moderated the association between frequency of image-based SMU and body dysmorphic symptoms.
Image-based SMU, and appearance-based motivations for SMU, are positively associated with body dysmorphic symptoms. Self-oriented perfectionism may amplify the relationship between SMU and body dysmorphic symptoms. Our findings highlight the importance of a nuanced approach to examining SMU, and the need for further research to determine whether specific facets of SMU contribute to the development and/or maintenance of body dysmorphic symptoms.
社交媒体使用（SMU）在年轻人中非常普遍，先前的研究表明它与心理健康问题有关，包括不良的身体形象。然而，SMU与身体变形障碍（BDD）之间的潜在关系很少受到关注。此外，对于调节SMU与身体变形症状之间潜在关联的因素知之甚少。本研究在一个非临床样本中测试了SMU的三个方面与身体变形症状之间的关联，并探讨了完美主义作为调节因素的作用。
从伦敦的学校招募了209名16至18岁的青少年（平均年龄 = 16.5岁，37%为男性），他们完成了一项在线调查，该调查测量了SMU的各个方面，包括：基于图像和文本的SMU频率；SMU的动机（外表、受欢迎程度、联系或价值观及兴趣）；以及主动和被动SMU。参与者还完成了身体变形症状、完美主义以及焦虑/抑郁症状的有效测量。线性回归模型测试了身体变形症状与SMU不同方面之间的关联，同时对年龄、性别和焦虑/抑郁症状进行了调整或未调整。
基于图像而非基于文本的平台使用频率与身体变形症状显著正相关，并且这种关联在调整后的模型中仍然显著。在未调整和调整后的模型中，基于外表的SMU动机是唯一与身体变形症状独特相关的动机。在未调整的模型中，被动而非主动的SMU与身体变形症状相关，但在调整后的模型中这种关联变得不显著。自我导向的完美主义调节了基于图像的SMU频率与身体变形症状之间的关联。
基于图像的SMU以及基于外表的SMU动机与身体变形症状呈正相关。自我导向的完美主义可能会放大SMU与身体变形症状之间的关系。我们的研究结果强调了采用细致入微的方法来研究SMU的重要性，以及进一步研究以确定SMU的特定方面是否有助于身体变形症状的发展和/或维持的必要性
