Self-esteem and social media addiction level in adolescents: The mediating role of body image

Abstract

Background:

There are many studies examining the relationship between social media and self-esteem. Studies examining the relationships between the self-esteem, social media use, and body image of adolescents are limited in the literature.

Aim:

This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-esteem and social media addiction levels in adolescents and the mediating role of body image in the relationship between these two variables.

Methods:

The sample of the study consisted of 204 adolescents, 67 (32.8%) girls and 137 (67.2%) boys, with a mean age of 15.90 ± 1.20 years, who were high school students. The self-esteem levels of the participants were evaluated with the “Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale”, their social media dependency levels were measured with the “Social Media Use Disorder Scale”, and their body images were measured using the “Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire”.

Results:

No significant relationship was found between the self-esteem levels of the participants and their ages or the education levels of their parents. There was a negative moderate significant relationship between the self-esteem levels of the participants and their social media addiction levels, and a positive moderate significant correlation was found between their self-esteem levels and body images. It was found that the social media addiction levels of the participants negatively predicted their self-esteem and body image levels. It was determined that body image had a partial mediator effect on the relationship between the social media addiction and self-esteem levels of the participants.

Conclusion:

Our results revealed that there is a negative correlation between self-esteem and social media addiction levels in adolescents. Body image has a partial mediating role in the relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem levels.

INTRODUCTION

Self-esteem refers to feelings of love, respect, and trust that a person feels toward oneself as a result of knowing oneself and evaluating oneself realistically, accepting their abilities and strengths as they are and embracing oneself.[1] Self-esteem has a very important place in human life, especially in adolescence.[2]

Adolescents use their self-perception as a tool when seeking answers to developmental questions such as what they are like and how they feel about themselves. Self-image plays an important role in the way adolescents approach themselves, and therefore, in the formation of self-esteem.[2] There are many studies examining self-esteem and the factors affecting self-esteem in adolescent individuals.[3] Studies have found that many factors such as sociodemographic variables, family structure, parental attitudes, peer relationships, perceived social support levels, academic success, and physical and/or mental illness are associated with self-esteem in adolescents.[3,4] Social media is thought to affect self-esteem during adolescence.[5]

Social media is defined as a structure consisting of various technological activities in social interaction and content creation. In this structure, the individual introduces oneself to other individuals, either as they are or with another identity that they want to have and can interact with.[6] Social media provides convenience in terms of acquiring and sharing information. However, it can easily turn into addiction when used frequently and/or at an uncontrollable level.[7] Studies have shown that the group with the highest frequency of social media use is adolescents.[7,8] Many studies have demonstrated that the excessive use of social media negatively affects areas such as academic functionality, social relationships, mental health, life satisfaction, and self-esteem in adolescents.[9,10] Most research has indicated a negative relationship between social media use and self-esteem. Adolescents with low self-esteem have high levels of social media use.[11,12] Body image is another important factor that affects self-esteem in adolescents.[13]

Body image is defined as a person’s feelings and thoughts about their own body regarding how their physical appearance is evaluated by others.[14] Studies have shown a positive relationship between body image and self-esteem in adolescents and that self-esteem levels are high in adolescents with a highly positive body image.[13,15]

Aside from studies reporting that the excessive use of social media negatively affects self-esteem, there are also studies showing that social media has positive effects on adolescents.[16,17] The differences in the results of studies on the topic suggest that some mediator variables may play a role in the relationship between social media use and self-esteem in adolescents.

As per previous research, there is a relationship between self-esteem and body image in adolescents. However, studies examining the relationships between these two variables along with the variable of social media use seem to be limited.[18,19] This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and social media use in adolescents and the mediating role of body image in this relationship. The literature review that was conducted for this study revealed no previous study examining the mediating role of body image in the relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem levels. It is thought that the results of this study will contribute to the literature on this topic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted at a public high school in the Bodrum district of Mugla in the academic year of 2020-2021. Participants were randomly selected from students studying in the first, second, third, and fourth years of high school education. The minimum required sample size was calculated with G*Power (3.1.9.4) against a nominal significance level of α = 0.5 and power values of 1-β = 0.8 and 1-β = 0.9. As per the results of the analysis, the number of participants to be included was determined as 204. Students aged 14-18 years who voluntarily agreed to participate were included in the study.

Sociodemographic Data Form: The form that was prepared by the researchers included questions on demographic information such as the age, gender, grade level, parental age, and parental education levels of the participants.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES): The scale was developed by Morris Rosenberg (1965). The Turkish validity and reliability study of the scale was performed by Cuhadaroglu.[1] The scale consists of 63 items and 12 subtests. In this study, only the self-esteem subtest was used. In the test, which was arranged as per the Guttman measurement method, positively and negatively worded items were ordered consecutively. As per the self-assessment system of the scale, the responded obtains a score between 0 and 6. In comparisons made with numerical measurements, self-esteem is evaluated as high (0-1 points), moderate (2-4 points), or low (5-6 points). A high total score of the scale indicates low self-esteem and a low total score indicates high self-esteem. The validity coefficient of the scale was found to be 0.71 and its reliability coefficient was 0.75 in its Turkish adaptation studies.

Social Media Use Disorder Scale (SMD-9): The scale was developed to measure the social media addiction levels of adolescents by Van den Eijnden, Lemmens, and Valkenburg (2016). The Turkish validity and reliability study of the scale was conducted by Saricam.[20] SMD consists of two separate forms, a short form with 9 items and a long form with 27 items. While preparing the items, the criteria in the Pathological Gambling Addiction title in DSM-IV and Internet Gambling Disorders in DSM-5 were taken as the basis, and a total of nine criteria (occupation, endurance, withdrawal, insistence, escape, problems, cheating, displacement, and conflict) were used. An item pool was created. There is one item for each criterion in the nine-item short form. The scale has an 8-point rating between “0 = never” and “7 = more than 40 times a day”. The total score of the scale ranges between 0 and 63. The Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was reported as 0.75 and its Guttman split half test reliability coefficient was found as 0.64. The corrected item total correlation coefficients ranged from 0.29 to 0.73 in the Turkish validity and reliability study of the scale.

Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ): This scale was developed by Winstead and Cash (1984) to determine the attitudes of individuals about their body image. MBSRQ is a 5-point Likert-type scale consisting of 57 items. The scale consists of seven dimensions. These dimensions are “physical appearance evaluation”, “appearance orientation”, “physical ability evaluation”, “physical adequacy orientation”, “health evaluation”, “health orientation”, and “satisfaction with body areas”. The minimum and maximum total scores of the scale are 57 and 285, respectively. A high total score indicates a positive body image, while a low score indicates a negative body image. The Turkish validity and reliability study of the scale was performed by Dogan and Dogan.[21] The Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient of the scale was reported as 0.94, and the internal consistency coefficients of the dimensions ranged between 0.75 and 0.91 in the Turkish validity and reliability study of the scale.

Ethics Committee approval for the study was received from Beykent University Publication Ethics Committee (July 24, 2020). The necessary permissions were obtained from the Provincial Directorate of National Education (November 17, 2020). The scales, which were converted into an online questionnaire by the researchers, were delivered to the students via e-mail. An information form about the study was sent to the students and their parents, and consent for participation was obtained. All scales were administered simultaneously, online, in a single session, and in approximately 20 minutes for each participant.

Statistical analysis

All data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Windows version 22.0 software. The relationships between the continuous variables were evaluated with the “Pearson correlation test”, and the relationships between the variables that did not fit normal distribution were evaluated with the “Spearman correlation test”. The mediation effect of the independent variables was tested with the “causal steps approach” of Baron and Kenny.[22] The statistical significance of the mediation effect was evaluated with the bootstrap method suggested by Preacher and Hayes.[23] P <.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Among the participants, 67 (32.8%) were girls and 137 (67.2%) were boys. The mean age of all participants was 15.90 ± 1.20 years. The mean age of the mothers of the participants was 42.58 ± 4.76 years, and the mean age of their fathers was 46.49 ± 5.28 years. Among the mothers of the participants, 63 (30.9%) were primary school graduates, 60 (29.4%) were high school graduates, and 81 (39.7%) were university graduates. It was found that among the fathers of the participants, 51 (25%) were primary school graduates, 65 (31.9%) were high school graduates, and 88 (43.1%) were university graduates. The daily social media usage times of the participants were as less than 1 hour for 14 (6.9%) participants, 1-2 hours for 71 (34.8%) participants, 3-4 hours for 67 (32.8%) participants, and more than 4 hours for 52 (25.5%) participants.

The mean RSES, SMD-9, and MBSRQ scores of the participants are given in Table 1.

Table 1.

The mean RSES, SMD-9, and MBSRQ scores of the participants

	Min	Max	Mean	SD
RSES	0.00	6.00	4.39	1.43
SMD-9	9.00	36.00	19.33	6.40
MBSRQ total	117.00	262.00	195.43	30.15

RSES: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; SMD-9: Social Media Use Disorder Scale; MBSRQ: Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire; SD: Standard deviation

Some significant results were obtained in the correlation analyses performed to evaluate the relationships between the examined variables. There was a negative moderate significant relationship between the RSES scores and SMD-9 scores of the participants (P <.001), while there was a positive moderate significant relationship between their RSES and MBSRQ total scores (P <.001). A negative, weak, and significant correlation was found between the SMD-9 and MBSRQ total scores of the participants (P <.05; P <.001). No significant correlation was found between the RSES scores of the participants and their ages or parental education levels (P >.05) [Table 2].

Table 2.

Results of the correlation analyses between RSES scores and the ages, SMD-9 scores, and MBSRQ scores of the participants

	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Age	-	-0.09	-0.16*	0.02	0.02	0.13
2. Education level (mother)		-	0.06**	-0.09	0.09	0.01
3. Education level (father)			-	0.05	0.02	0.02
4. RSES				-	-0.35**	0.40**
5. SMD-9					-	-0.15*
6. MBSRQ total						-

*P<0.05, **P<0.001; Pearson Correlation Test, Spearman Correlation Test; RSES: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; SMD-9: Social Media Use Disorder Scale; MBSRQ: Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire

Table 2. Results of the correlation analyses between RSES scores and the ages, SMD-9 scores, and MBSRQ scores of the participants.

The mediating role of body image (MBSRQ) in the relationship between self-esteem (RSES) and social media use (SMD-9) levels was examined in line with three conditions suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986). First, there must be a significant relationship between SMD-9 and MBSRQ, which are both independent variables, and RSES. Second, the mediator variable, MBSRQ, must be significantly related to the two examined variables, SMD-9 and RSES. Third, when the mediator variable is controlled, there should be a decrease in the degree of relationship between the two variables. A decrease in the degree of this relationship is accepted as an indicator of partial mediation, and the loss of significance of the relationship is accepted as an indicator of complete mediation. In the model that was established to test if the necessary criteria were met, the mediation effect of MBSRQ total scores on the relationship between SMD-9 and RSES scores was tested. Three separate regression equations, which are presented in Figure 1, were created. As per the results of the regression analysis, SMD-9 scores had a direct and significant effect on RSES scores (B = -0.08; t = -5.45; P <.001). It was seen that SMD-9 scores significantly and directly predicted the mediating variable and MBSRQ total scores (B =-0.70; t = -2.16; P <.05). When the MBSRQ total scores variable was added to the model to evaluate its mediator role, it was found that the relationship between SMD-9 and RSES scores was still significant, but there was a decrease in the level of significance of this relationship. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the MBSRQ total scores (B = -0.06; t =-4.93; P <.001) variable played a partial mediator role in the relationship between SMD-9 and RSES scores.

Figure 1.

The mediator role of MBSRQ scores in the relationship between SMD-9 and RSES scores. *P < .05, **P < .001; RSES: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; SMD-9: Social Media Use Disorder Scale; MBSRQ: Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire

Whether the effects of the mediator variable were significant was examined using the bootstrap method. The bootstrap method is a nonparametric method based on resampling multiple times (1,000 or 5,000) by replacement. The indirect mediator effect is calculated for each new sample. The significance of the mediator effect is determined by calculating the most known confidence interval and whether there is a zero value in this interval. The absence of a zero value in the confidence interval indicates that the indirect effect is different from zero. As suggested by Preacher and Hayes (2008), the effects of the mediator variable on a 5,000-person bootstrap sample were examined. As per the results, the partial mediator effect of the MBSRQ total scores variable was significant in the relationship between RSES and SMD-9 scores (B = -0.01; 95% BCa CI [-0.024, -0.001]).

DISCUSSION

As per the results of this study, there was no significant relationship between the self-esteem levels of the adolescents and their ages and the education levels of their parents. There was a negative significant relationship between the self-esteem and social media addiction levels of the participants, while there was a positive significant relationship between their self-esteem and body image levels. As a result of the mediation analysis, the social media addiction levels of the participants were found to negatively predict their self-esteem and body image levels. It was determined that body image had a partial mediating effect in the relationship between self-esteem and social media addiction.

In studies examining the relationship between self-esteem and sociodemographic variables in adolescents, it was found that self-esteem did not vary significantly based on age.[24] In our study, in accordance with the literature, no significant relationship was found between the self-esteem levels of the participants and their age. Studies have mostly shown a significant relationship between parental education levels and the self-esteem levels of adolescents, and as the parental education levels increase, self-esteem levels also increase.[25] In our study, no significant relationship was found between the education levels of the parents of our participants and the self-esteem levels of the participants. Our results, which were inconsistent with the literature, may have occurred due to the small sample size.

It was shown that there is a correlation between self-esteem and social media use in adolescents.[26] In a study conducted by Woods and Scott with 467 adolescents, it was found that adolescents with high levels of social media use had low self-esteem.[27] Jan et al.[28] reported a negative correlation between the daily social media usage times and self-esteem levels of their participants. Thirty three studies on the subject published between 2008 and 2016 were examined in a meta-analysis study conducted by Liu and Baumeister.[29] In the study, it was reported that there was a negative relationship between social media use and self-esteem. In our study, it was found that the self-esteem and social media addiction levels of the participants were negatively related. Additionally, it was determined that social media addiction had a direct and significant effect on the self-esteem levels of the participants. It is known that the self-esteem levels of adolescents are negatively affected by mental disorders, especially depression and/or anxiety disorder.[30] The results of our study suggested that the self-esteem and social media addiction levels of adolescents are negatively related, similarly to the literature. However, the fact the mental health statuses of the participants were not assessed in our study limits the interpretability of the results.

Many studies have shown that self-esteem is related to body image in adolescents.[31] In a cross-sectional study, 290 participants were divided into two groups (12-15 years: early adolescence and 15-19 years: late adolescence), and a positive significant relationship was observed between the self-esteem and body image of the participants in both groups.[32] Almeida and Shivakumara reported a strong, positive, and significant relationship between the self-esteem and body image levels of the participants in a study that included 120 adolescents (age range: 11-19 years).[33] Similarly, in the literature, positive and significant relationships were found between the self-esteem levels and body images of adolescents, as in this study. An individual’s body image forms a whole with their self-concept and affects their personality, values, and social relationships as per theoreticians.[1] The body and body image, which are the most concrete parts of the self, are a significant reference in the identity development process of an adolescent.[34] It may be stated that the results of this study were expected due to the effect of body image in adolescence on self-esteem.

The mediator effect of body image in the relationship between the self-esteem and social media addiction levels of adolescents was investigated in our study. Our findings revealed that the adolescents’ body image levels played a partial mediator role in the relationship between their social media addiction levels and self-esteem levels. In the literature, no study examining the mediator role of body image in the relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem levels was found. However, there are studies evaluating the mediator role of body image in the relationship between social media use and other variables in adolescents. A study that was conducted with a large sample revealed that a negative body image had a direct and significant effect on the relationship between the social media use levels of adolescents and their depressive symptoms (mean age: 14 years).[35] Lee et al.[36] reported that body satisfaction was low in university students who used social media for information about body image, and a negative body image directly affected the psychological wellbeing of the participants. Studies examining the relationship between social media use and body image have demonstrated a significant positive relationship between a negative body image and frequency of social media use.[37] A study conducted with 1,087 female adolescents (between the ages of 13 and 15 years) determined that 75% of the participants had at least one social media account, and the negative body image levels of the participants who used social media were significantly higher than those who did not use social media.[38] A similar study pointed to a negative significant relationship between the time adolescents spent on social media and their status of having a positive body image.[39] The results of our study and those of other studies in the literature have shown a negative relationship between the social media addiction levels and body image of adolescents, and a less positive body image affects the self-esteem of adolescents negatively. It is known that body image is affected by sociocultural factors, and the media is an important factor in shaping the ideal body image of the individual.[40] The excessive use of social media may negatively affect the ideal body images of adolescents. A negative body image may cause a decrease in self-esteem.

Our results suggested that body image plays a partial mediator role in the relationship between social media addiction and self-esteem levels in adolescents. It is known that self-esteem in adolescents is very important in terms of identity development and mental health. It is emphasized that considering the effects of social media addiction and social media usage levels on body image and self-esteem in adolescents with low self-esteem is important both in the treatment of mental diseases known to be directly related to self-esteem and in terms of preventive mental health interventions.

Our study had some limitations. The self-esteem, body image, and social media addiction levels of the participants were measured only with self-reported scales. The lack of a diagnostic evaluation of adolescents by face-to-face interviews was an important limitation. Our study was a cross-sectional study. It is thought that longitudinal studies are needed to better explain the causal relationships between self-esteem and other variables.

Ethical approval

Ethics Committee approval for the study was received from Beykent University Publication Ethics Committee (July 24, 2020).

Financial support and sponsorship

No financial support or sponsorship was used for this research.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.