Adolescents’ online appearance preoccupation: A 5-year longitudinal study of the influence of peers, parents, beliefs, and disordered eating

Abstract

Online behaviors, especially those concerning appearance preoccupation, have been related to poorer mental health, but early risk factors for online appearance preoccupation are not well understood. In this study, data were collected in the first years of adolescence (age 10–13 years) to investigate correlates of later online appearance preoccupation (ages 15–18 years). Drawing data from a longitudinal study, 261 Australian adolescents (48% male; Mage = 12.0, SD = 0.89) completed surveys to report on social pressures, personal beliefs and attitudes, and body change and eating behaviors at the start of the study (when age 10 to 13). They also reported their online appearance preoccupation (appearance comparison/presentation, and appearance-related activity) five years later at age 15 to 18. Results demonstrated that the most prominent risks for online appearance preoccupation and activity in later adolescence were social in origin. Specifically, appearance-related conversations with friends in early adolescence emerged as the most salient preceding risk factor for boys' and girls' online appearance preoccupation five years later. Also, there were distinct early risks in models estimated separately for boys and girls; these included parents’ appearance-related attitudes and behaviors for boys and internalization of appearance ideals and emotional eating for girls.