Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.92> Article
Research Article

From Social Media Use to Depressive Symptoms: Exploring Mediating Mechanisms of Body and Appearance Anxiety in Adolescents

Zhihui SongUniversity of Colorado Denver*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Even though mobile device ownership and algorithm-based content distribution are more common nowadays, social media is still an important part of the lives of teenagers. Social issues include lack of confidence in appearance, body anxiety, and depression. The study provides a systematic review based on the studies that consider the path from social media use to depression through the lens of body and appearance anxieties. Using literature analysis combined with review methods, it investigates a number of studies that were carried out across cultures with varying contexts, including those that were cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental, in order to depict the psychological pathways whereby social media, among others, influence upward social comparison, self-objectification, and quantitative valuation. The findings indicate that there is a strong and positive link between the amount of time spent on social media and the anxiety that many adolescents feel about their appearance and body image. These anxieties act as mediators between the relations of online idealized content and depressive symptoms, whereas sleep problems, fear of missing out, and low self-esteem play a mediating role. There are various factors that influence the impact of these systems, such as gender and technology differences, as well as cultural contexts. The conclusion is that the social aesthetic standards of online platforms exacerbate emotional hardships and depression in teenagers. A multi-level intervention approach is encouraged, highlights the need for longitudinal, multidisciplinary research to better support adolescent mental health in the digital era.

Keywords: Social media use; Adolescent mental health; Body anxiety; Appearance anxiety; Depression
Published: November 26, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.KM29971
Volume: CHR Vol.92
pp. 145-157
Download PDF

References

  1. Kumari, J. (2025). The effect of social media on adolescence mental health. International Journal of Integrated Research and Practice, 3(1), 12–25. https: //ijirp.org/index.php/files/article/view/17
  2. Desyantoro, I., & Ngongo, B. P. (2025). Social media use and its psychological impact on adolescents in Indonesia: A review from the perspective of social education and public awareness. Journal of Humanistic Social Management, 2(1), 43–59. https: //journal-hsm.com/index.php/JHSM/article/view/2
  3. Sirmawati, E., Asmita, W., & Rahayu, D. F. (2025). Body image problems and insecurity in teenagers in social media posts. In BICC Proceedings. https: //biccproceedings.org/index.php/bicc/article/view/162
  4. Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 1–5. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005
  5. Button, D. M., & White, R. (2013). Teen dating relationships and outcomes of well-being: Examining gender differences in nonviolent and violent dating relationships. Women & Criminal Justice, 23(3), 211–231. https: //doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2013.806839
  6. Satheesan, K. K. (2025). Influence of social media on adolescents’ perception of social norms: A scoping review. In Proceedings of the World Conference on Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. https: //proudpen.com/proceedings/index.php/wpbconf/article/view/760
  7. Hogue, J. V., & Mills, J. S. (2019). The effects of active social media engagement with peers on body image in young women. Body Image, 28, 1–5. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.11.002
  8. Fardouly, J., Willburger, B. K., & Vartanian, L. R. (2018). Instagram use and young women’s body image concerns and self-objectification: Testing mediational pathways. New Media & Society, 20(4), 1380–1395. https: //doi.org/10.1177/1461444817694499
  9. Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2013). NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 46(6), 630–633. https: //doi.org/10.1002/eat.22141
  10. Van den Eijnden, R. J. J. M., Lemmens, J. S., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2016). The Social Media Disorder Scale. Computers in Human Behavior, 61, 478–487. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.038
  11. Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., … & Ybarra, O. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PLOS ONE, 8(8), e69841. https: //doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069841
  12. Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, C., & Sacker, A. (2019). Social media use and adolescent mental health: Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinicalMedicine, 6, 59–68. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005
  13. Twenge, J. M., Joiner, T. E., Rogers, M. L., & Martin, G. N. (2018). Increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among U.S. adolescents after 2010 and links to increased new media screen time. Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–17. https: //doi.org/10.1177/2167702617723376