The association between social media use and body dysmorphic symptoms in young people

Patient expectations in implant and aesthetic dentistry

Implant dentistry has evolved significantly over the past decades, transitioning from pioneering procedures to a routine offering in modern dental practices. This evolution, coupled with the pervasive influence of digital media, has transformed patient expectations, often creating a disconnect between perceived outcomes and biological reality. This article explores the dynamics of managing expectations in implant dentistry, emphasising the critical role of informed consent and patient education. It delves into the psychological complexities patients bring to consultations, including influences from social media and celebrity culture. Various psychological concepts are examined in the context of implant dentistry, highlighting their impact on patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes. Transparent communication, ethical decision-making and empathetic care will foster trust and reduce patient dissatisfaction. Addressing the emotional and psychological challenges of patients, particularly those with complex histories or repeated treatment failures, is presented as a vital component of successful practice. Strategies to manage these challenges, protect clinician wellbeing and maintain team cohesion are also explored. In acknowledging the intricate interplay of technical, psychological and relational factors, this article provides a comprehensive framework for clinicians to navigate the ever-increasing expectations of implant dentistry patients while safeguarding their professional and personal resilience.

Association between beauty standards shaped by social media and body dysmorphia among Egyptian medical students

This study examines the relationship between exposure to unattainable beauty standards via social media and the prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder among medical students in Egypt. The rapid development of digital platforms, particularly social media, has brought about a wider dissemination of unattainable beauty standards that may contribute to body image disorders and psychological problems. Given the unique pressures faced by medical students, who represent both consumers and influencers in health-related content, the current study attempts to ascertain whether excessive engagement with distorted beauty portrayals correlates with higher rates of BDD symptoms in this population. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study consisting of 1126 undergraduate medical students, with a mean age of 20.8 years enrolled in any Egyptian medical school registered in the academic year 2023-2024, specifically from August-October 2024, except non-medical, graduate, and non-Egyptian students who met the exclusion criteria. We privately gathered answers via colleagues and electronically via online Google forms posted on social media groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between social media use and BDD among medical students. According to social media practices, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok were mostly used for 4-7 h daily. Most rarely or sometimes, take selfies, edit them with filters, and share them with others. The summary of BDDQ answers demonstrated that 6.3% of Egyptian medical students enrolled met the criteria for BDD. The majority reported that they do not like their face, and this leads to suffering from bullying in school or work, resulting in avoiding certain clothes as an avoidance behavior. The majority reported engaging in positive self-talk, participating in offline activities or hobbies, and unfollowing accounts promoting unattainable beauty standards as a coping strategy against unattainable beauty standards shaped by social media. Our study found that BDD is highly prevalent among social media users, especially on text-based platforms. The prevalence of BDD among Egyptian medical students is 6.3%, which is higher than worldwide. Interestingly, Egyptian medical students enrolled in our study believe that promoting body positivity, educating users about the risks of body dysmorphia, restricting content that promotes unrealistic body standards, and providing resources and support for those affected, respectively, are the critical measures that social media platforms should take to address body dysmorphia.

Problematic Social Media Use, Self-Objectification, and Body Image Disturbance: The Moderating Roles of Physical Activity and Diet Intensity

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between problematic social media use, self-objectification, and body image disturbance in women, with physical activity and diet intensity as moderators. It also explores the psychological outcomes of depression and anxiety.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 594 women aged 18-65 in Istanbul, Türkiye. Participants completed validated measures assessing social media use, self-objectification, body image disturbance, physical activity, diet intensity, depression, and anxiety. A moderated mediation analysis was performed.

Results

Self-objectification significantly mediated the relationship between problematic social media use and body image disturbance (b = 0.14, SE = 0.03, 95% CI [0.10, 0.21], p < 0.01, R² = 0.18). Physical activity buffered this effect (b = -0.12, SE = 0.05, p = 0.02, d = 0.36), while diet intensity exacerbated it (b = 0.15, SE = 0.04, p < 0.01, d = 0.42). Body image disturbance also mediated the association between social media use and depression (b = 0.18, SE = 0.05, p < 0.01, R² = 0.22) and anxiety (b = 0.16, SE = 0.04, p < 0.01, R² = 0.19).

Conclusion

The findings highlight the dual roles of physical activity and diet intensity in shaping body image outcomes. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the negative impact of social media-driven self-objectification on body image and mental health.

Mediating effect of depression between problematic social media use and body dysmorphic concerns in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a critical period during which there is a concerning rise in the incidence of mental health problems, including depression and body dysmorphic concerns symptoms, as well as addictive behaviors such as problematic social media use. The objective of this research is to examine the role of depression as a mediator between problematic social media use and body dysmorphic concerns.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional design and recruited a total of 336 Lebanese adolescents, aged 15 to 18, with an average age of 15.69 ± 1.10 years and 63.4% of them being female, from all governorates of Lebanon between the months of December 2023 and January 2024. The statistical analysis was performed utilizing version 25 of the SPSS program. Two categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test, and two means were examined using the Student t test. Model 4 of the PROCESS MACRO, an add-on for SPSS, was utilized to conduct the mediation analysis.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age and sex, depression was found to partially mediate the association between problematic social media use and body dysmorphic concerns (indirect effect: Beta = .48; Boot SE = .08; Boot CI .33; .65). Higher PSMU was significantly associated with more depression and directly associated with more body dysmorphic concerns.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown, for the first time that depression may act as a mediator in the relationship between problematic social media use and Body dysmorphic disorder. Recognizing this malleable factor as a mediator might provide new understanding for psychiatric therapies conducted on persons who are likely to display signs of dysmorphia when they utilize social media in an addictive pattern.

Association Between Symptoms of Body Dysmorphia and Social Media Usage: A Cross-Generational Comparison

Background: The rise of social media parallels a mental health epidemic. The effect of social media usage on rates and severity of body dysmorphic disorder is not well-understood. Objective: To determine if an association exists between social media engagement, body dysmorphia symptoms, and/or interest in cosmetic surgery in a demographically diverse cross-section of the U.S. adult population. Methods: In a Qualtrics platform-based survey study of the general U.S. adult population, responses to demographic information, social media activity questionnaire and the body dysmorphic disorder screening questionnaire, and interest in cosmetic surgery were collected. Descriptive statistics and a multivariate logistic regression model were carried out. Results: A total of 1,013 respondents completed the survey. The average age was 40.9 (SD, 14.8) years, 72% were women. Median time spent on social media (IQR) was 4 (2-7) h/day. Respondents who screened positive for symptoms of body dysmorphia had higher daily mean social media usage time (odds ratio [OR] 1.49), tend to be female (OR 2.17), younger (OR 0.97), identify as Caucasian (OR 1.65), and are more likely considering a cosmetic procedure in the next year (OR 2.98). Conclusion: This study demonstrates a positive association between daily social media usage, self-reported symptoms of body dysmorphia, and interest in cosmetic procedures.

Role of Social Media in the Rising Body Dissatisfaction and Dysmorphia Among Adolescents

Background The growing use of social media has a major impact on people's lives, especially adolescents. Teenagers tend to upload pictures, reels, and stories to keep up with the latest trends, seek approval from society, and gain self-worth. Influencers' heavy use of photoshopped, edited images using filters is setting certain unreal beauty standards, and adolescents trying to copy them is leading to an increase in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Aim and objective This study aimed to study the prevalence of BDD in adolescents and its association with social media usage. Material and methods A descriptive cross-sectional, validated questionnaire-based study was conducted among adolescents in the age group of 13-18 years by the Department of Pediatrics of Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Science and Hospital (ASCOMS & H) in Jammu, India. Data were collected by distributing the validated questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic data, social media use, and the Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) scale from four schools (two government and two private) in Jammu. A total of 740 completely filled questionnaires were analyzed statistically. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean scores of BDD, whereas the Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis test for non-parametric data and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results In the present study, the prevalence of BDD in adolescents in Jammu is found to be 29.45%. Greater frequency of social media usage, i.e., greater than four hours a day, social media practices like taking more selfies, excess use of beauty filters, and sharing of pictures on a regular basis, were related to increased mean DCQ scores and thus an increase in BDD. The study showed that with the increase in age, there was a subsequent increase in the prevalence of BDD. Female gender and adolescents having a lower economic status at home significantly have more chance to develop BDD. Conclusion Our study concludes that there is a potential association between the use of social media in rising BDD, especially among females and adolescents of lower economic status. Doctors, school teachers, parents, friends, government campaigns, policymakers, and social media influencers can come together to spread awareness and educate adolescents about self-love, confidence, and natural beauty.

Body dysmorphic disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive-compulsive disorder-related psychiatric condition characterized by an intense preoccupation with perceived physical flaws that are not observable by others. BDD affects ~2% of the adult population but is underdiagnosed, partly owing to limited clinician awareness, and undertreated, partly due to limited access to treatment. Research on the aetiology of BDD is scarce but likely involves an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. A few studies suggest functional and structural brain differences (compared with controls) in the regions involved in visual and emotional processing, although firm conclusions about the pathophysiology of the disorder cannot be made at this stage. Diagnosis requires the presence of repetitive behaviours or mental acts typically aimed at checking, correcting or concealing perceived flaws. The disorder typically has its onset before 18 years of age, with a female preponderance in youth but no major gender disparity in adults. Quality of life is markedly impaired across multiple domains and suicide risk is considerable. Evidence-based treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Future research should focus on understanding the biological and environmental factors that increase the risk of BDD, and on improving access to effective treatments, thereby addressing a critical gap in care for this often misunderstood and overlooked disorder.

Fantasies and Fallacies of 'Aesthetic' Instagrammers

The influence of Instagram, as a social media platform, in shaping perceptions of aesthetic surgery cannot be understated. The idea of a more "aesthetic" self cultivates a desire for cosmetic enhancements. This article underscores the profound impact of Instagram on aesthetic surgery, shedding light on both its fantasies and fallacies. Instagram, a medium for dissemination of content, often blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Although the intent is to transfer credible information from the provider to the consumer, Instagram often contributes to the distortion of one's self-image and creates unrealistic expectations. Moreover, the glamorization of aesthetic surgery as a fast, effortless fix, often by commercially run enterprises, leads to misconceptions and impulsive decision-making. These fallacies are further compounded by the increase of misinformation and deceptive practices, presenting ethical challenges for influencers and surgeons alike. This study explores the ethical responsibilities of these "Aesthetic Instagrammers," emphasizing the necessity for transparency and ethical guidelines, while analyzing all the social media stakeholders and providing suggestions for better engagement.

Exploring the effects of social media on body dysmorphic disorder among citizens of Bahrain: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the relationship between social media use and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). We calculated the prevalence of BDD in our sample and explored factors that may be associated with BDD. Various factors that we explored include sociodemographic characteristics, body image perceptions, and specific social media platforms used. The key focus of our study is understanding the impact of social media on mental health, specifically in the context of BDD.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional online survey that included the standardized Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ). Data on social media use were collected through self-reported usage patterns. Statistical analysis was conducted to identify associations.

RESULTS

Increased overall social media use was associated with BDD (p = 0.030). The prevalence of BDD in our sample was 1.8%. Age, being single and being a student were associated with BDD, with p values of 0.004, 0.023, and < 0.001, respectively. BDD was associated with comparing one's body image with that of people on social media (p = 0.001). BDD was associated with judging other people based on their appearance (p < 0.001). Using social media in the fields of celebrities (p = 0.020), fashion (p = 0.025), music and songs (p < 0.001) were associated with BDD.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased social media use is associated with BDD, but different patterns of social media use may affect this relationship, indicating the need for further research in this field.

Practitioner Review: Assessment and treatment of body dysmorphic disorder in young people

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a relatively common and highly impairing mental disorder that is strikingly underdiagnosed and undertreated in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The only clinical guidelines for the management of BDD in youth were published nearly 20 years ago, when empirical knowledge was sparse. Fortunately, there has been a surge in research into BDD over the last 10 years, shedding important insights into the phenomenology, epidemiology, assessment and treatment of the disorder in young people. This review aimed to provide an overview of recent research developments of relevance to clinicians and healthcare policymakers. We summarise key findings regarding the epidemiology of BDD in youth, which indicate that the disorder usually develops during teenage years and affects approximately 2% of adolescents at any one point in time. We provide an overview of aetiological research, highlighting that BDD arises from an interplay between genetic and environmental influences. We then focus on screening and assessment strategies, arguing that these are crucial to promote detection and diagnosis of this under-recognised condition. Additionally, we summarise the recommended treatment approaches for BDD in youth, namely cognitive behaviour therapy with or without selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The review concludes by highlighting key knowledge gaps and priorities for future research including, but not limited to, better understanding aetiological factors, long-term consequences and treatment.

The association between use of social media and the development of body dysmorphic disorder and attitudes toward cosmetic surgeries: a national survey

Introduction

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) causes distress due to one's negative appraisal of their body image. The development of BDD has been linked to the passive use of social media and photo-editing apps. People with BDD typically pursue cosmetic surgeries to remedy their perceived flaws. The dramatic increase in the use of photo-editing apps and their well-established effects on mental health is a public health concern.

Purpose

To study the association between use of social media and the development of BDD and acceptance toward cosmetic surgeries (ACSS) among Saudis.

Methods

An online, cross-sectional, validated survey conducted among Saudis 18 and older. Descriptive analyses were utilized for demographics and prevalence rates of main study variables. ANOVA was used to compare mean scores in BDD and ACSS among different demographic groups. Tukeys post-hoc test was done to identify the categories that were different when the ANOVA test showed a statistically significance. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 1,483 Saudi adults completed the questionnaire. Key results showed that BDD was found in 24.4 % of the sample. The percentage of participants with BDD who spent 4-7 h per day on Instagram and Snapchat (29%) was significantly higher than those who spent only less than an hour per day on these platforms (19%) (p < 0.001). Individuals with BDD had a significantly higher risk of accepting cosmetic surgery compared to those without BDD (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

A growing body of evidence suggests that social media may impact mental health in different ways. This study reveals that heavy use of these platforms is associated with negative appraisals about one's physical appearance, and it fosters one's tendency toward cosmetic surgery, especially among females.