NetGirls: The internet, facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls

Tiggemann, Marika; Slater, Amy

Abstract

Objective The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between Internet exposure and body image concern in adolescent girls, with a particular focus on the social networking site of Facebook. Method A sample of 1,087 girls in the first two years (Years 8 and 9) of high school (aged 13-15 years) completed questionnaire measures of Internet consumption and body image concerns. Results The overwhelming majority of girls (95.9%) had access to the Internet in their home. Time spent on the Internet was significantly related to internalization of the thin ideal, body surveillance, and drive for thinness. Further, 75% of the girls had a Facebook profile, and spent an average of 1.5 hours there daily. Facebook users scored significantly more highly on all body image concern measures than non-users. Discussion It was concluded that the Internet represents a potent socio-cultural medium of relevance to the body image of adolescent girls. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2013; 46:630-633) Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2013
• Journal: International Journal of Eating Disorders
• Print ISSN: 0276-3478
• Electronic ISSN: 1098-108X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 630-633
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22141
• Keywords: internet, media exposure, Facebook, body image, drive for thinness, adolescents
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/940569
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eat.22141