Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Dissatisfaction with one’s body and low self-esteem are significant issues that many women experience throughout their lives. Researchers have substantiated the relationship between self-esteem and body appreciation, with limited and conflicting correlations reported between body appreciation and engagement with social media. Accordingly, further research was needed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the ways that self-esteem and engagement with social media may affect body appreciation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between women’s self-reported social media engagement, body appreciation, and self-esteem. This study was guided by three research questions and results were interpreted through the lenses of sociocultural theory and social comparison theory. This quantitative examination followed a correlational design. The sample consisted of 112 female participants between the ages of 18 and 45, who were recruited via Survey Monkey. The online survey consisted of the Body Appreciation Scale-2, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Results of the two Pearson correlations and a moderation analysis revealed no significant relationships between body appreciation, self-esteem, and social media engagement. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Author: Stephanie A Belton
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2982113527