The Role of Identity Status, Social Media and Networks in the Body Dysmorphic ‎Symptoms in Girls

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Psychology, Khoy Branch, Islamic Azad University, ‎Khoy, Iran. ‎

Abstract

Introduction: The present research aimed to determine the role of identity status and ‎social media and ‎networks in the body dysmorphic symptoms(BDS) in girls.‎
Method: This research was descriptive from correlational type. The research population ‎was female ‎Khoy IAU students in the 2023-2024 ‎academic years. The sample size based on the Krejcie and Morgan ‎table was determined ‎‎320 people, selected by multistage cluster sampling method. Research ‎tools ‎included: demographic information form, ego identity status questionnaire (Bennion & ‎Adams, ‎‎1986), social media use scale (Tuck & Thompson, 2023) and body dysmorphic ‎disorder scale (Hanley et ‎al., 2020). For data analysis used from Pearson's correlation ‎coefficients and multiple regression ‎methods.‎
Results: The results showed that identity diffusion and identity moratorium had a positive ‎and ‎significant relationship with BDS in girls (P<0.001), but ‎identity achievement and identity foreclosure ‎had no significant relationship with it ‎‎(P>0.05). In addition, all components of social media and ‎networks including body image, ‎comparison, belief and consumption had a positive and significant ‎relationship with BDS in girls (P<0.05). Also, identity status and components of social ‎media and ‎networks were able to predict 9% and 27% of the changes in BDS in girls, respectively (P<0.001).‎
Conclusion: According to the results of the study, identity status and social media and ‎networks play a ‎significant role in predicting BDS in girls and ‎can lead to increasing BDS. Therefore, the obtained results ‎can have many ‎practical implications for informing parents through educational programs based ‎on ‎identity status and social media and networks.‎

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 19 October 2024
  • Revise Date: 05 January 2025
  • Accept Date: 20 January 2025

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