Body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and psychopathological symptoms in preadolescents who use Instagram.

Background: Preadolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by the start of significant physical and cognitive changes posing youths at risk for psychopathology. This study explores the association of Instagram usage with body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and psychopathological symptoms among preadolescents.

Methods: We recruited 232 female preadolescents aged 9-10 years and their mothers using a snowball sampling technique. Participants were divided into two groups based on their Instagram addiction levels: no addiction (Group 1) and addiction (Group 2). Measures included the Eating Disorders Inventory-Referral Form (EDI-3-RF), Instagram Addiction Scale (IAS-15), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

Results: Results showed that Group 2 had significantly higher scores in body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, emotional reactivity, and withdrawal compared to Group 1.

Conclusions: Limitations include the small, homogenous sample, reliance on self-report measures, and cross-sectional design, which limits causal inference. Future research should include more diverse samples, longitudinal designs, and a broader assessment of social media use to better understand these complex relationships. Addressing these limitations will enhance our understanding and contribute to developing effective interventions to support the mental health of preadolescents in the digital age.

Level iii: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.