Mirror, mirror on my screen: Focus on self-presentation on social media is associated with perfectionism and eating disturbance among adolescents. Results from the “LifeOnSome”-study.

Abstract

Background Social media use, perfectionism, and eating disturbances have all increased over the last decades. Some studied indicate that there is a relationship between being exposed to others self-presentation on social media and eating disturbances. Studies also show that the relationship between focus on self-presentation and highly visual social media is stronger than for non-visual social media, hence facilitating upward social comparison. Nevertheless, no previous studies have investigated the link between adolescents focus on their own self-presentation and upward social comparison on social media, and perfectionism and eating disturbances, which is the aim of the present study.Method The present study is based on a cross-sectional survey from the “LifeOnSoMe”-study (N = 3725), conducted in 2020 and 2021. Respondents were high school students (mean age 17.3 years, 55% females) in Bergen, Norway. Multiple regression analysis was performed where SPAUSCIS, a measure of self-presentation and upward social comparison, was the independent variable. Perfectionism, eating disturbance and self-reported eating disorder were dependent variables. Self-reported age, gender, and subjective socioeconomic status were used as covariates, as well as frequency and duration of social media use. Regression models were performed to compare proportions across the median split of SPAUSCIS, and potential gender-moderation were assessed for the associations with perfectionism and eating disturbance.Results The multiple regression analysis showed that increased focus on self-presentation and upward social comparison on social media were positively associated with both perfectionism (standardised coefficient 0.28) and eating disturbance. A stronger association for girls than boys was found for eating disturbance (standardised coefficient 0.39 for girls and 0.29 for boys). There was no gender moderation for perfectionism.Conclusions Findings suggest that focus on self-presentation and upward social comparison on social media is associated with perfectionism, eating disturbance and eating disorder. We recommend promoting a healthy use of social media. This could be established through increasing adolescents’ ability to reflect on and think critically about self-presentation and upward social comparison on social media.