Key Research
Reducing Social Media Use Improves Appearance and Weight Esteem in Youth with Emotional Distress
Key Takeaways:
- Findings suggest that reducing SMU (social media use) on smartphones may be a feasible and effective method of improving body image in a vulnerable population of youth
- The intervention group still used SMU one hour per day for four weeks; no other internet use was restricted
- See five suggests based on this study from NPR report below
- Reducing SMU is a feasible method of producing a short-term positive effect on body image and should be evaluated as a potential component in the treatment of body image-related disturbances
LiveMore ScreenLess’ Summary
Adolescence and young adulthood, spanning from ages 17 to 25 years, are critical stages of life during which numerous psychological, physical, neurobiological, behavioral, and social changes take place. Previous cross-sectional research has shown that high social media use (SMU) is associated with poor body image, which is a known predictor of eating disorders.
However, high-quality experimental evidence is scarce, limiting the ability to make causal inferences. Self-reported SMU does not adequately reflect actual use; device-based measurements, which this study uses, provide a more accurate assessment of SMU.
The participants here were divided into two groups: ones with intervention (SMU limited to 1 hr/day), and the control group (unrestricted access to SMU). Compared to the control group, the intervention group yielded significant increases in both appearance and weight esteem. No effects of gender were detected.
Other findings: first, participant compliance and retention to the intervention were high and provide support as a proof-of-concept study. Second, it remains unknown if long-term reduction in SMU would yield stronger improvements. Third, although not all participants in the intervention group met the 1 hr/day SMU limit, suggesting that for some heavy users reducing SMU to 1 hr/day may not be overly ambitious.
NPR News story on this study makes these five recommendation:
- Curate your social media feed to limit content that makes you feel bad
- Schedule a one-day break from devices each week
- Turn off notifications and set limits on use of social media apps
- Use the time you were giving to social media to invest in real-life activities instead
- Connect with people who share your interests and values
Thai, H., Davis, C. G., Mahboob, W., Perry, S., Adams, A., & Goldfield, G. S. (2023). Reducing social media use improves appearance and weight esteem in youth with emotional distress. Psychology of Popular Media. Advance online publication.
Topics: Body Image , Identity , Mental Health , Social Media
Year: 2023
Participants: 220 participants (17–25 years; 76% female, 23% male, and 1% other)
