Self-Esteem, Body Image and Social Media Usage Among the Adolescents

Abstract

The study, involving 132 students, aimed to investigate the relationship between adolescent social media usage, body image, and self-esteem. Key findings include: Social Media and Self-Esteem: Mean values for social media usage and self-esteem were 62.88 and 74.64, respectively. A significant negative correlation (-.308**) was found, indicating that increased social media usage was associated with lower self-esteem. Body Image and Social Media Usage: Mean values for body image and social media usage were 22.80 and 62.88, respectively. A strong negative correlation (-.516**) was observed, suggesting that elevated social media usage was linked to lower body image satisfaction and Self-Esteem and Body Image: Mean values for self-esteem and body image were 74.64 and 22.80, respectively. A significant positive correlation (.330**) was found, indicating that higher self-esteem was associated with better body image satisfaction. Regression Analysis: Linear regression analysis showed that both social media and self-esteem significantly predicted body image among teenagers. For every unit increase in body image, there was a .649 variance in self-esteem and a -.706 variance in social media. Gender Differences: Girls exhibited higher levels of body image satisfaction and global self-esteem compared to boys. However, more girls than boys experienced body image issues. There were no significant gender differences in social media usage. Mann-Whitney U Tests: Gender differences in self-esteem and body image were observed, with females showing greater concern about their bodies than males. However, no significant gender differences were found in social media usage. Overall, the study underscores the detrimental effects of social media on adolescent self-esteem and body image, particularly among females. It emphasizes the importance of intervention and education programs to address these issues and promote positive mental health outcomes.