Frequency Of Social Media Use Research Articles

Exploring social media usage among different generations of Thai farmers

Social media’s pervasive influence extends to the agricultural sector, driving transformative changes. The purpose of this study aims to comprehensively overview how different generations of Thai farmers utilize social media. It has two principal objectives: first, to explore farmers’ behavior in relation to the frequency of social media use, their preferred platforms, and engaging advertising formats; and second, to examine the correlation between different generations of farmers and their choice of social media platforms. The study employed purposive sampling and quantitative methodologies to survey Thai farmers, utilizing questionnaires for data collection and analyzing the data with descriptive statistics. A total of 150 participants took part, evenly distributed across rice cultivation, gardening, and arable crop cultivation. The findings of this study showed that social media platform usage among farmers was found to vary by generation, with each cohort demonstrating distinct preferences for different platforms. It was observed that older generations, such as Baby Boomers and Gen X, tended to concentrate their social media usage on a select few platforms, while younger generations, including Gen Y and Gen Z, exhibited more diversified usage patterns. Therefore, understanding generational differences in social media platform usage among farmers remains crucial for developing targeted communication strategies, facilitating knowledge dissemination, and enhancing market engagement within the agricultural sector. Encouraging the utilization of social media in agricultural promotion initiatives maximizes benefits for farmers and aids in adapting to the changing landscape of the agricultural industry in Thailand in the digital era.

Psychological distress, social media use, and academic performance of medical students: the mediating role of coping style

BackgroundGiven that social media use (SMU) is an increasingly widespread activity among university students, more information is needed to evaluate its relationship with students’ mental health, particularly medical students.ObjectiveThe present study assessed the relationships between SMU and coping style with psychological distress and academic performance of medical students.MethodsAn offline cross-sectional survey conducted with 398 undergraduate medical students. The survey collected data on demographics, psychological distress (DASS-21), coping strategies (Brief COPE Scale), academic performance (grade point average) and estimated average time spent on social media per day. Structural equation modeling was used to clarify relationships between the main study variables. The study also examined the mediating effect of maladaptive coping between SMU and psychological distress.ResultsStudents with higher levels of psychological distress were more likely to be engaged in frequent social media use. Spending more than two hours a day on social media use had a positive association with maladaptive coping (p < 0.001), particularly with substance use and behavioral disengagement both of which could negatively affect academic performance. Maladaptive coping mediated the relationship between students’ SMU and psychological distress.ConclusionThe findings suggest that medical students commonly use social media as a maladaptive coping tool to deal with psychological distress. Empowering students to adopt and foster appropriate coping strategies could help them to enhance resilience against life stresses and ameliorate potential long-term mental health consequences associated with maladaptive behaviors.

Flavored combustible tobacco product initiation in two longitudinal youth cohorts in the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study: 2013–2016 and 2016–2019

IntroductionFlavored tobacco products increase appeal and lower barriers to nicotine addiction for young people. We compared environmental, psychosocial, behavioral, and demographic characteristics between youth who started with flavored and non-flavored (i.e., tobacco-flavored) combustible tobacco products (CTPs). MethodsWe analyzed two representative US youth cohorts (baseline age 12–15) from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study (Wave 1 Cohort (W1) 2013–2016; Wave 4 Cohort (W4) 2016–2019). We first assessed baseline characteristics associated with any subsequent CTP initiation among youth with baseline never CTP use (W1 n = 5,946; W4 n = 8,240). Then, for baseline CTP-naïve youth with subsequent CTP initiation (new experimentation; W1 n = 519; W4 n = 538), we assessed baseline characteristics associated with subsequent initiation with flavored CTPs versus non-flavored. ResultsMost youth reporting new CTP experimentation initiated with flavored CTPs (W1:67.8%; W4:74.2%). Household norms, susceptibility, baseline experimentation with vaping, alcohol and/or cannabis, and White race were associated with CTP experimentation. For both cohorts, frequent social media use was associated with flavored CTP initiation (W4 AOR:2.50, 95%CI:1.22,5.12) and Black youth (W4 AOR:0.12, 95%CI:0.06, 0.25) were less likely to initiate with flavored CTPs than White youth. Among W1 Cohort youth, perceiving flavored product use as easier was positively associated with flavored CTP initiation (AOR:1.48, 95%CI:1.01, 2.17). Among W4 Cohort youth, baseline vaping was negatively associated with flavored CTP initiation (AOR:0.10, 95%CI:0.05, 0.20). ConclusionFrequent social media use was associated with flavored CTP initiation among youth who used CTPs. Youth who had ever vaped and Black youth were less likely to initiate with flavored CTPs.

The mediating and moderating effects of psychological distress on the relationship between social media use with perceived social isolation and sleep quality of late middle-aged and older adults

ObjectivesOlder adults are more likely to have poor sleep quality and be socially isolated. The present study examined the potential benefits and disadvantages of social media use (SMU) with respect to sleep quality and perceived social isolation among Iranian late-middle-aged and older adults with focus a on both the mediating and moderating role of psychological distress.MethodsA population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 900 older community-dwellers living in Shiraz using a structured questionnaire. Social media use was assessed by estimating the frequency of social networking site visits per week. Data concerning self-rated physical health, chronic medical and mental health conditions, perceived social isolation, sleep quality, and psychological distress were also collected. Multiple linear regression was used to identify independent variables associated with outcomes. Then, mediation and moderation models were used to examine the potential mediating and moderating effects of psychological distress and SMU on their relationships with the study variables.ResultsHigher social media use was associated with better sleep quality and less perceived social isolation. Nevertheless, the relationships between SMU and participants’ sleep quality and perceived social isolation were largely mediated by their level of psychological distress. Furthermore, SMU had a significant moderating effect in the relationship between the psychological distress and the levels of perceived social isolation, so that participants with higher frequency of SMU per week felt less loneliness.ConclusionsThe study findings suggest that SMU has a positive buffering effect regarding late middle-aged and older adults’ mental health mainly through moderation of their perceived social isolation. The mediating role of psychological distress in research examining the relationship between SMU and older adults’ mental health outcomes should be considered in future research.

Exploring the Influence of Academic Self-Efficacy on Students' Professional Identity: The Intermediary Role of Social Media Frequency

In recent years, social media has become more and more integral to Chinese daily life as new media has grown and developed. Previously, there were a number of challenges because of the lack of knowledge regarding social media usage and the problems of university students' majors. These challenges include whether the frequency of social media use affects daily learning, the extent to which university students in the new era understand the current state of their majors, whether frequent use of social media supports their studies and the mediating role of social media in these processes. Given these issues, the existing literature lacks comprehensive reference materials. In order to further examine students' learning habits, this study uses a questionnaire survey and a five-point Likert scale to investigate how ASE affects university students' major identification and how social media usage frequency acts as a mediating factor. Based on participants' moderate social media usage frequency, the results suggest a reasonable association between the frequency of social media use and its impact. There is a modest mediation influence of social media, variations in the academic self-efficacy (ASE) of participants, and a substantial positive association between the major identity and self-efficacy of university students.

Social media use is predictable from app sequences: Using LSTM and transformer neural networks to model habitual behavior

The present paper introduces a novel approach to studying social media habits through predictive modeling of sequential smartphone user behaviors. While much of the literature on media and technology habits has relied on self-report questionnaires and simple behavioral frequency measures, we examine an important yet understudied aspect of media and technology habits: their embeddedness in repetitive behavioral sequences. Leveraging Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and transformer neural networks, we show that (i) social media use is predictable at the within and between-person level and that (ii) there are robust individual differences in the predictability of social media use. We examine the performance of several modeling approaches, including (i) global models trained on the pooled data from all participants, (ii) idiographic person-specific models, and (iii) global models fine-tuned on person-specific data. Neither person-specific modeling nor fine-tuning on person-specific data substantially outperformed the global models, indicating that the global models were able to represent a variety of idiosyncratic behavioral patterns. Additionally, our analyses reveal that individual differences in the predictability of social media use were not substantially related to differences in the frequency of smartphone use in general or the frequency of social media use, indicating that our approach captures an aspect of habits that is distinct from behavioral frequency. Implications for habit modeling and theoretical development are discussed.

Variations in Unmet Health Care Needs by Perceptions of Social Media Health Mis- and Disinformation, Frequency of Social Media Use, Medical Trust, and Medical Care Discrimination: Cross-Sectional Study.

Unmet need for health care is defined as choosing to postpone or completely avoid necessary medical treatment despite having a need for it, which can worsen current conditions or contribute to new health problems. The emerging infodemic can be a barrier that prevents people from accessing quality health information, contributing to lower levels of seeking medical care when needed. We evaluated the association between perceptions of health mis- and disinformation on social media and unmet need for health care. In addition, we evaluated mechanisms for this relationship, including frequency of social media use, medical trust, and medical care discrimination. Data from 3964 active adult social media users responding to the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey 6 (HINTS 6), a nationally representative survey, were analyzed. The outcome was unmet need for medical care, defined as delaying or not getting the necessary medical care. The predictor variables were perception of social media health mis- and disinformation, frequency of social media use, level of trust in the health care system, and perceived racial and ethnic discrimination when receiving health care. Multivariable logistic regression models indicated that perception of substantial social media health mis- and disinformation (odds ratio [OR] 1.40, 95% CI 1.07-1.82), daily use of social media (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01-1.79), low medical trust (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.06-2.01), and perceived discrimination (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.44-3.50) were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of unmet need for medical care. Unmet need among adults who did not use social media daily and who did not perceive substantial mis- and disinformation (24%; 95% CI 19%-30%) was lower compared to daily social media users who perceived substantial mis- and disinformation (38%; 95% CI 32%-43%). Adults who perceived substantial mis- and disinformation and had low trust in health care had the highest probability of reporting unmet need (43%; 95% CI 38%-49%) compared to the other three groups. Adults who perceived substantial mis- and disinformation and experienced medical care discrimination had a statistically significant higher probability of reporting unmet need (51%; 95% CI 40%-62%) compared to adults who did not experience medical care discrimination and did not perceive substantial mis- and disinformation (29%; 95% CI 26%-32%). Unmet need for medical care was higher among individuals who perceived a substantial degree of social media mis- and disinformation, especially among those who used social media daily, did not trust the health care system, and experienced racial or ethnic discrimination when receiving health care. To counter the negative effects of social media mis- and disinformation on unmet need for health care, public health messaging must focus on daily social media users as well as improving trust and reducing structural racism in the health care system.

Prospective longitudinal relations among frequent social media use, nicotine vaping and experiencing internalizing mental health problems.

To compare four a priori rival mediated pathways of frequent social media use, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use and internalizing mental health (MH) problems across five waves of nationally representative data. This was a longitudinal study using data drawn from waves 2-5 (October 2014-November 2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, a nationally representative cohort study spanning approximately 5years, conducted in the United States. The analytical sample of participants included those who were aged 12-14 years at wave 2 and who provided data in subsequent waves until wave 4.5 (n = 4627, 69.7% were White and 51.4% were male). Frequent social media use (several times a day), ENDS use (past 30-day use) and internalizing MH problems (endorsed symptoms on four items in the past year) were dichotomized for analysis. The weighted proportions of the three key variables increased over time. From wave 2 to wave 5, frequent social media use grew from 56.9 to 77.2%; internalizing MH problems from 18.9 to 29.0%; and ENDS use from 1.4 to 11.4%. In weighted logistic regressions using generalized linear mixed models with random effects, there was a significant within-person association between frequent social media use at time t and greater ENDS use at t +1 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.87; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.47, 2.37] and worsened internalizing MH problems at t +1 (aOR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.37). A model-based causal mediation analysis and marginal structural models were fitted to estimate the average causal mediation effect. Among all four examined mediation pathways throughout the three constructs, partial mediation was observed, and all the pathways were significant for both boys and girls. Sex differences did not emerge in the examined prospective mediated pathways. Among youth in the United States, frequent social media use appears to mediate the prospective association between experiencing internalizing mental health problems and using electronic nicotine delivery systems.

Perceived functions and importance of digital media use and adolescent depression and suicidal ideation.

Although social media (SM) use is nearly ubiquitous among adolescents, there is a lack of clarity concerning the relationship between SM use and mental health outcomes like depression and suicidal ideation (SI), which increase during adolescence. Much of the previous literature has focused on the frequency of SM use; however, the current study examined the relationship between the perceived importance of three types of interactions and functions of SM use and depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. A sample of 4057 adolescents (M age = 14.6; 47.0% girls; 69.0% Non-Hispanic/Latine White) were recruited via an online survey manager between February and March 2019. Participants completed the Adolescent Digital Technology Interactions and Importance (ADTI) Scale, which assessed the perceived importance of bridging online and offline experiences (bridging), going outside one's identity or offline experience (identity), and facilitating social connections (social). Participants also completed measures of depressive symptoms and SI and a self-report measure of SM use. A series of path analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between bridging, identity, social, and depressive symptoms and SI. After accounting for covariates (gender identity, racial identity, age, and SM use), bridging was negatively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas identity was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Bridging and social connection were negatively associated with SI, whereas identity was positively associated with SI. Gender moderated these relationships; however, racial identity did not. The results highlight the importance of understanding adolescent SM use beyond screen time in relation to depression and SI.

Association of time spent on social media with youth cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use in the UK: a national longitudinal study

BackgroundSocial media may influence children and young people’s health behaviour, including cigarette and e-cigarette use.MethodsWe analysed data from participants aged 10–25 years in the UK Household Longitudinal Study 2015–2021. The...

Digital shadows: confronting the rise of technology-facilitated sexual violence and the quest for systemic solutions

ABSTRACT This article explores Technology Facilitated Sexual Violence (TFSV), a rising issue in the digital era. TFSV encompasses online harassment, cyberstalking, and image-based exploitation via digital technologies. Unlike previous studies focusing on youth, this one includes adults. Surveys in Australia and the U.S. show TFSV’s high occurrence in adults. Using a qualitative method, the study involves legal and mental health experts to discuss TFSV’s effects, challenges, and solutions. Findings indicate frequent use of social media for abuse, causing victims significant mental distress like fear and trauma. The study points out the gap between fast-paced technological growth and the slower response of legal systems, resulting in ill-prepared professionals for handling digital abuse. It urges immediate, multi-pronged action against TFSV, including training for legal and law enforcement, education for practitioners and victims, and cross-sector collaboration. The article emphasizes the necessity of a better, comprehensive response to TFSV, advocating for an informed and inclusive approach in addressing digital sexual violence.

Social media use and mental health indicators among US adolescents: A population-based study

Social media use among young people has raised concerns about its potential impact on mental health. However, research is limited regarding whether certain subgroups may be differently affected. This study uses data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey, a nationally representative sample of middle and high school students aged approximately 11–18 years (n = 23,366). Mental health conditions were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and social media use was categorized by frequency levels. We employed multinomial logistic regression and a finite mixture Poisson model to explore the relationship between social media use, sexual identity, and mental health status. The study found a consistent association between social media use and mental health conditions, particularly among frequent users. The finite mixture model revealed two latent groups based on mental health status: a ‘better’ group with minimal or no poor mental health indicators and a ‘worse’ group with more indicators. For both groups, social media use was associated with mental health conditions, with a stronger association among frequent users. Notably, sexual minorities, especially bisexual students, were more likely to report poor mental health indicators. This study suggests that frequent social media use may adversely affect young people's mental health and that different youth subgroups may respond differently to social media use and mental health conditions.

Social Media Use and Its Effects on Self-Esteem among Young Adult in Brazil

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the social media use and its effects on self-esteem among young adult in Brazil. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: A study in Brazil found that frequent social media use was linked to lower self-esteem among young adults. Comparing themselves with others online, especially in appearance and lifestyle, negatively affected participants' self-perceptions. Social media use was associated with feelings of inadequacy and social isolation, although positive interactions could mitigate self-esteem issues. Overall, the study highlighted the intricate relationship between social media and self-esteem in Brazilian youth. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social comparison theory, self-presentation theory &amp; uses and gratifications theory may be used to anchor future studies on the social media use and its effects on self-esteem among young adult in Brazil. Educational programs and interventions should be developed to promote healthy social media use and enhance self-esteem among young adults in Brazil. Government agencies could collaborate with social media companies to develop and enforce policies that address harmful content, cyberbullying, and unrealistic beauty standards on online platforms.

Can social connections become stressful? Exploring the link between social media use and perceived stress in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of 25,053 adults

Background Social media has become a dominant part of daily lives for many, but excessive use may lead to an experience of stress. Only relatively few studies have investigated social media’s influence on mental health. Aims We aimed to investigate whether social media use is associated with perceived stress and changes in perceived stress over 18 months. Methods The study population consisted of 25,053 adults (mean age 42.8; 62% women) from the SmartSleep Study. Self-reported frequency of social media use, of 10 specific social media platforms, and of perceived stress (the Perceived Stress Scale 4 item) was obtained at baseline and 18-months follow-up (N = 1745). The associations were evaluated at baseline and follow-up using multiple linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results Compared to non-use, high social media use (at least every second hour) was associated with a slightly higher perceived stress level at baseline. No association was found between the frequency of social media use and changes in perceived stress during follow-up. Only small differences in these associations were noted across social media platforms. Conclusions Further studies are needed to comprehensively explore the relationship between excessive social media use and mental health, recognizing different characteristics across social media platforms.

Food vloggers and their content: understanding pathways to consumer impact and purchase intentions

PurposeThis study aims to understand pathways to success for food video bloggers (food vloggers) by identifying the drivers of positive reception among audiences. It examines how entertainment, information and interaction values affect attitudes toward food videos and vloggers. Additionally, it investigates the potential for product placement by studying the effects of attitudes toward food videos and vloggers on consumers’ behavioral intention regarding purchasing featured food ingredients.Design/methodology/approachAn integrated model informed by theories (uses and gratification and stimulus-organism-response) was developed. An online survey was administered to 339 Vietnamese social media users. The data were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results show that food videos’ entertainment and information value positively impact the attitude toward food videos. However, the interaction value does not have a significant impact. All three values (entertainment value, information value and interaction) impact the attitude toward food vloggers. Both attitudes significantly influence purchase intention, showing that there is a pathway to product placement. The frequency of social media use can moderate these relationships, with a negative effect on the attitude toward food videos and a positive effect on the attitude toward food vloggers.Originality/valueThese findings provide insights into vlogger success pathways, not only in terms of audience reception but also in terms of product placement. This study offers comprehensive suggestions on pathways for success that are interesting for vloggers, food business operators, restaurant managers and audiences on how to design effective food videos and potentially encourage consumer purchases. These pathways can also be valuable for other behaviors, such as food safety advice and food waste reduction.

Impacts of social media use on occupations of youths with hearing disability in a special education school in upper northern Thailand

Background: Social media have been used increasingly in the daily lives of the global population. Youths with hearing disability participate in many activities through social media, as do those in general. However, due to their hearing loss, they may experience different impacts, particularly in the special education context. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of social media use on occupations of youths with hearing disability, and the relationship of activity limitation and participation restriction in the special education school context. Materials and methods: The participants comprised 92 youths with hearing disability, who were studying in a special education school. The research instrument was a questionnaire in two forms: paper-based and a sign language video clip. It was presented with acceptable content validity (IOC=0.60-1.00), good internal consistency reliability (α=0.88) and moderate stability reliability (ICC=0.70). Results: Results showed that most of the participants had their own smart phone and used a hearing aid for access to social media. Frequency of social media use was daily for 1-3 hour(s) per day. Overall, most of the participants had no activity limitation or participation restriction in their occupations, but they showed a minimal level of limitation and restriction in education. In terms of social media use, most of the youths presented a positive impact on occupations, particularly in social participation. The overall results indicated the relationship between activity limitation and participation restriction and impacts of social media use on occupations (r= -0.293, p=0.005). When considering each type of occupation, the results indicated the relationships of education, work, and social participation significantly. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed the relationship between activity limitation and participation restriction and overall impacts of social media use on occupations. These findings were applied to social media use, particularly in parts of the text and virtual networks, as an optional channel for providing occupational therapy services and accessing meaningful occupations for youths with hearing disability.

Longitudinal Problematic Social Media Use in Students and Its Association with Negative Mental Health Outcomes.

Social media has become increasingly part of our everyday lives and is influential in shaping the habits, sociability, and mental health of individuals, particularly among students. This study aimed to examine the relationship between changes over time in problematic social media use and mental health outcomes in students. We also investigated whether resilience and loneliness moderated the relationship between social media use and mental health. A total of 103 participants completed a baseline virtual study visit, and 78 participants completed a follow-up visit, 4-weeks later. Participants completed a comprehensive set of questionnaires measuring symptoms of depression and anxiety, perceived stress, loneliness, and resilience. Our results showed that problematic social media use at baseline was significantly negatively correlated with resilience and positively correlated with all other mental health outcomes. Furthermore, increases in problematic social media use were significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms and loneliness between visits. Resilience significantly moderated the relationship between increased problematic social media use and heightened perceived stress. Poor mental health at baseline did not predict increased problematic social media use over time. Contrarily to problematic use, frequency of social media use was not significantly correlated with any mental health measures at baseline. This study offers a longitudinal perspective, providing valuable insights into the potential protective role of resilience against the detrimental mental health effects seen with increases in problematic social media use.

Longitudinal Study on the Impact of Social Media on Loneliness and Psychological Well-being

In the current era of continuous scientific and technological development and societal progress, the use of social media has a profound impact on individual development. The question of whether frequent use of social media affects individuals' sense of loneliness and subjective well-being is a contentious academic issue. The practical application and trends in the development of social media are also focal points of consideration and research in contemporary societal and technological advancements. Therefore, this paper analyzes the current state of social media development and explores its impact on individuals of different age groups. It examines the practical effects of social media on individuals' feelings of loneliness and psychological well-being, delving into how to use social media correctly to promote individual growth and development.

The Correlation Between Social App Use and Individual Information Anxiety in the Information Age and the Solutions

Social applications are widely used in the information age. However, the frequent use of social media has brought about the problem of information overload. As a result, individual information anxiety has gradually become a focus of attention. This information overload can hurt individual mental health. The relationship between it and individual information anxiety needs to be further explored. This paper aims to explore the relationship between information overload and individual information anxiety in social applications and propose solutions. The study found the negative impact of information overload on individual mental health in social applications. The methods of alleviating individual information anxiety are put forward respectively from two aspects: individual and media. On the one hand, individuals can deal with the anxiety brought by social media by controlling the time they use social media, choosing reliable information sources and improving information literacy. On the other hand, social media should be censored, provide meaningful interaction, and meet user needs to jointly address the impact of social apps.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour and research of its influencing factors

BackgroundSocial media has become an indispensable part of contemporary young people's lives, and the influence of social media on college students' eating and other health-related behaviors has become increasingly prominent. However, there is no assessment tool to determine the effects of social media on Chinese college students' eating behavior. This study aims to translate the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behaviour (SESMEB) into Chinese. Its applicability to Chinese college students was examined through reliability and validity indexes, and the influencing factors of SESMEB were explored.MethodsThe questionnaire survey included 2374 Chinese college students. The Brislin translation model was used to translate the original scale into Chinese. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the construct validity of the scale, and the content validity of the scale was assessed through the content validity index. The internal consistency of the scale was assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's Omega coefficient, split-half reliability, and test–retest reliability. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was performed to identify potential influences on the effects of social media on eating behavior.ResultsEFA supported the one-factor structure, and the factor loadings of each item on this dimension were higher than 0.40. CFA showed good model fitness indexes. The content validity index of the scale was 0.94. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and McDonald's Omega coefficient for the scale were 0.964, the split-half reliability coefficient was 0.953, and the test–retest reliability was 0.849. Gender, education, major, frequency of social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism explained 73.8% of the variance in the effects of social media on eating behavior.ConclusionsThe Chinese version of the SESMEB has good psychometric properties and is a valid measurement tool for assessing the effects of social media on college students' eating behavior. Subjects who were female, highly educated, non-medical, had frequent social media use, online sexual objectification experiences, fear of negative evaluations, and physical appearance perfectionism used social media to have a higher impact on eating behavior.