What is it about?
In this study, we determined that online and offline appearance concerns among 8th grade students in the US are bidirectional, meaning body image concerns that start in the digital world might spillover into the in-person world and vice versa. Girls may be at greater risk of both online and offline appearance concerns than boys.
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Why is it important?
This study helps us understand what comes first--is it that young teens who use appearance-oriented social media develop body image problems online, or do those who already have negative body image in their offline contexts experience more appearance concerns about their online photos and videos? We found evidence that both are true: the digital context may both reinforce and exacerbate body image issues in the offline world. We also identify that girls may be most vulnerable to these issues, and thus parents, teachers, and clinicians should spay special attention to young girls and online/offline body image concerns.
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This page is a summary of: Bidirectional associations between online and offline appearance concerns during early-to-middle adolescence., Developmental Psychology, August 2024, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001795.
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