Date of Award

Fall 12-11-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Department

Psychology

College

College of Science

First Advisor

Andrew M Terranova

Abstract/Description

While previous studies have looked at the effects of social media dependency on disordered eating symptoms, body image concerns, and anxiety and depression symptoms, few have looked at these effects on exclusively college students. The current study utilized a survey to examine the associations between social media dependency, disordered eating symptoms, body image concerns, and anxiety and depression symptoms. Ninety-seven college students (Mage = 18.8 years, SD = 1.51; 82.5% young women; 17.5% young males ; 75.3% White; 91.8% non-Hispanic/non-Latinx) completed established measures, and reported on their social media dependency (Xanidis & Brignell, 2016), body image concerns (Schaefer, Burke, Thompson, et. al., 2015), disordered eating symptoms (Breines, et. Al., 2014), and anxiety and depression symptoms (Fajkowska & Wytykowska, 2018). Findings indicated that higher social media dependency was associated with higher body image concerns and higher disordered eating symptoms, but lower depression and anxiety symptoms. Further research, however, is needed to more strongly identify higher levels of social media dependency as causes of body image concerns and disordered eating symptoms, and to clarify the associations between social media dependency, anxiety, and depression.

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