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

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. 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. The results indicated that greater Instagram use is associated with increased body dissatisfaction ( = 0.005), although it did not significantly affect self-esteem ( = 0.211). Gender did not play a significant role in these relationships ( = 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 ( < 0.001). Further analyses indicated that users exposed to appearance-centered content were more likely to report body dissatisfaction. 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.