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Strong Correlations between Social Appearance Anxiety, Use of Social Media, and Feelings of Loneliness in Adolescents and Young Adults

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  • Triada Konstantina Papapanou

    (Postgraduate Course of Science of Stress and Health Promotion, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

  • Christina Darviri

    (Postgraduate Course of Science of Stress and Health Promotion, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

  • Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein

    (Postgraduate Course of Science of Stress and Health Promotion, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Health Care, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    First Department of Pediatrics, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

  • Xanthi Tigani

    (Postgraduate Course of Science of Stress and Health Promotion, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

  • Maria Michou

    (Postgraduate Course of Science of Stress and Health Promotion, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    Human Ecology Laboratory, Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, 176 71 Athens, Greece)

  • Dimitrios Vlachakis

    (University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Health Care, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 118 55 Athens, Greece
    Lab of Molecular Endocrinology, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

  • George P. Chrousos

    (University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Health Care, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

  • Flora Bacopoulou

    (University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
    Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Health Care, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

Social appearance anxiety is a type of social anxiety that is associated with body image perception and exacerbated by the use of social media, leading to feelings of loneliness. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relations between social appearance anxiety, use of social media, and feelings of loneliness in Greek adolescents and young adults. The sample of the research consisted of 632 participants, 439 women (69.5%) and 193 men (30.5%), aged 18–35 years. The Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale were the instruments used. Data collection was performed online, via Google forms. Multiple regression analyses were performed and demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale and the UCLA Loneliness Scale scores. The feeling of loneliness was predicted by the social appearance anxiety score ( p < 0.0001). On the other hand, there was a significant negative correlation between the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale and the Social Media Disorder Scale scores ( p = 0.002), suggesting that social media use may exacerbate appearance anxiety and, hence, loneliness. The findings suggest that there may be a complex, vicious reverberatory cycle between appearance anxiety, use of social media, and feelings of loneliness in some young people.

Suggested Citation

  • Triada Konstantina Papapanou & Christina Darviri & Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein & Xanthi Tigani & Maria Michou & Dimitrios Vlachakis & George P. Chrousos & Flora Bacopoulou, 2023. "Strong Correlations between Social Appearance Anxiety, Use of Social Media, and Feelings of Loneliness in Adolescents and Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-10, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4296-:d:1083064
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