The relationship between Facebook and body image

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the frequency of specific activities on Facebook that have a correlation with low body image. Social media websites (SMW) such as Facebook influence mental health which has been reinforced by research. Correlations have been found between Facebook use and various psychological factors such as self-esteem. Body image has become of great concern in general, especially for those who use social networking sites. Previous studies have found conflicting results when observing gender differences. Prior research has found that males and females are shown to have poor body image depending on how often either gender engages in certain activities on Facebook. Therefore, it is predicted that males and females will have low body image due to high activity usage on Facebook. Sixty undergraduate students from Laurentian University were used as the sample. Participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire which included gender and age, a Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire which gave an accurate score on body image, and a Self-Report Questionnaire which measured the frequency of Facebook usage. Results of this study may contribute to helping clinicians who work with college students that may be suffering from depression, anxiety, and/or low self-esteem related to poor body image.