Social Networking Site Use, Self-Compassion, and Attitudes Towards Cosmetic Surgery in Young Australian Women

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship of total social networking site (SNS) use and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery in young Australian women through the moderating role of self-compassion. Recent research has identified the potentially protective factor of self-compassion in body image concerns; however, few researchers have further explored the components of self-compassion in relation to SNS use. As such, the positive (self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness) and negative (self-judgement, isolation, and over-identification) components of self-compassion were further investigated. The present study utilised a cross-sectional correlational design with self-reported data to determine if self-compassion moderated the relationship between SNS use and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. A sample of 238 young Australian women, aged 18 to 29 (M = 22.1, SD = 2.9), were recruited. Participants completed an online questionnaire measuring total daily SNS use, self-compassion, and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. SNS use was significantly negatively correlated with self-compassion and positively correlated with cosmetic surgery. Self-compassion was significantly negatively correlated with attitudes towards cosmetic surgery; however, contrary to expected, self-compassion was not a significant moderator of SNS use and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. The components of self-compassion were further explored to better understand this relationship, with over-identification significantly predicting more positive attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. The present study highlights the relationship between SNS use and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. As over-identification relates to ruminating in feelings of discomfort, the results may suggest that SNS users who are more likely to fixate on their appearance dissatisfaction are more likely to have positive attitudes towards cosmetic surgery. Given the popularity of SNS use, this media may pose as an opportune platform to disseminate appearance modification interventions for young adult women. Future research that is causational in nature may be able to confirm these suggested implications.