The use of TikTok among children and adolescents with Eating Disorders: experience in a third-level public Italian center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Abstract

Background Recent research has documented the potential associations existing between the use of social media (SM) and the occurrence/development and treatment of Eating Disorders (ED). However, the literature directly addressing the use of SM TikTok among children and adolescents with ED is still scarce. Methods In January–February 2021, during the second Italian national lockdown due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, an anonymous paper survey was conducted in an Italian third-level center for ED in childhood and adolescence. Demographics, frequency of use of TikTok, frequently viewed topics and hashtags, experienced body-shaming, as well as the use of TikTok (active search, use of proposed contents) and perceived influences of this SM on eating attitudes and self-esteem were assessed. Groups of patients with different perceived SM-induced effects were compared to determine the frequency of their interaction with 3 specific contents (diet, Pro-Anorexia Nervosa (pro-Ana) and pro-ED recovery). Results Seventy-eight patients (93.6% females, mean age 14.5 ± 2.1 years) were enrolled in the study. For 62.8%, TikTok represented the main SM, used for 1.4 ± 1.0 h/day, with diet (21.8%) as the most frequently used topic category. Pro-Ana and pro-ED recovery contents (“#foryou” and “#edrecovery” as the most frequent, respectively) were both actively searched by patients and proposed by the SM in a significant number of cases. For 59.0%, using TikTok reduced self-esteem, while 26.9% reported TikTok-related significant changes in their daily lives, and 3.8% reported experiences of body-shaming. Patients describing a negative effect of TikTok on their self-esteem more frequently searched and browsed “diet” (p = 0.007) and pro-ED recovery (p = 0.007) contents. Positive qualitative feedback on the SM was also reported. Conclusions This study documents the use of the SM TikTok among children and adolescents with ED. Individuals with a perceived negative effect of this SM on their self-esteem may show greater interaction with specific content. Further studies are needed to investigate the psychopathological factors influencing the relationship between ED and the use of SM.

Aesthetic evaluation of body movements shaped by embodiment and arts experience: Insights from behaviour and fNIRS

“…This information could deepen our understanding of the influence of social media dance on learning, understanding, and subsequently performing full-body movements in social and communicative settings. Further, it is important to consider the effect of social media engagement on young people's development, given that emerging research reports engagement with social media to be both positive (e.g., enhanced multicultural experience, cultural intelligence, individual creativity) 50 and negative (i.e., disordered body image, low self-esteem) 51 for young people's development. An opportunity clearly exists for further research to enhance our understanding of the extent to which engagement in art-based trends (i.e., dance, as opposed to dangerous behaviours) might impact its consumers.…”

Assessment of Accuracy, User Engagement, and Themes of Eating Disorder Content in Social Media Short Videos

“…Although previous studies have examined eating disorder content on other social media platforms, such as Twitter, 10,11 Instagram, 12 and Tumblr, 13 there has been little systematic study about eating disorder content on TikTok. Studies extended to TikTok have highlighted both the benefits 6 and risks 14,15 associated with exposure to eating disorder content and communities on the platform.…”

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The Influence of TikTok on the Establishment of Adolescent Self-esteem

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