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

Abstract

Image-based SMU, and appearance-based motivations for SMU, are positively associated with body dysmorphic symptoms. Self-oriented perfectionism may amplify the relationship between SMU and body dysmorphic symptoms. Our findings highlight the importance of a nuanced approach to examining SMU, and the need for further research to determine whether specific facets of SMU contribute to the development and/or maintenance of body dysmorphic symptoms.