Self-Esteem, But Not Age, Moderates the Influence of Viewing Social Media on Body Image in Adult Females

Abstract

Viewing “thin-ideal” images on social media has been associated with reduced body image (BI) in females, however much evidence is correlational, based on young student samples and/or lacks robust controls. Furthermore, the moderating role of individual differences has not been examined. This study aimed to investigate the impact of viewing Instagram-like “thin-ideal” and “average” BIs on BI in females and the moderating roles of self-esteem and age. A sample of 690 adult females aged 18–60 years (M [SD] = 36.95 [12.34]) with wide-ranging body mass index (BMI = 16.90–62.10; M [SD] = 31.28 [8.12]) were randomly assigned to one of four image conditions (“thin-ideal,” “average,” holiday-scenery, or stationery). BI was measured before and after viewing images, followed by a measure of self-esteem. Results showed a significant decrease in BI after viewing the “thin-ideal” versus “average” and control images (p,.0001). Self-esteem (but not age) moderated this effect (p =.036). Self-esteem made no difference to the negative effects of viewing “thin-ideal” images, however, individuals with lower selfesteem showed a significantly greater increase in BI after viewing “average” images versus participants with higher self-esteem. Results suggest that females of all ages with low self-esteem could benefit from initiatives such as the body positivity movement on Instagram.