Influence of Social Media on Perceived Body Image and Mental Well-Being

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between body image and mental well-being among young adult social media users. The study looks at the psychological processes that underlie this phenomenon, such as internalizing limited body norms and social comparison with unattainable beauty standards. The study also explores the possible positive or negative effects of social media use on mental health. The study intends to further knowledge of the intricate connection between social media, body image, and mental health by examining these variables. A sample of 150 individuals was taken into consideration (n=150), for this study between the age group 18-30 years, participated. The variables were assessed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), Social Media Use Scale (SMUS) and Body Image Questionnaire (Marilou Bruchon-Schweitzer, 1987). The findings suggests that there is no significant relationship between social media and body image and mental well-being. One limitation can be the sample size is relatively small, and the results may not be generalizable to larger populations.