Do They Like My Post? A Three Arm Randomised Control Trial Investigating the Effect of Fitspiration and Self-love Social Media Content on Female Adults’ Body Image in New Zealand

Abstract

Poor body image is known to be associated with adverse effects on females’ body satisfaction, self-esteem, mood and eating behaviours. Exposure to visual (image-based) social networking sites provide an opportunity for females to internalise beauty ideals and make appearance comparisons. Such behaviours have been correlated with body image disturbance; a risk factor for disordered eating, eating disorders and depression. A three-arm randomised control trial was conducted to examine whether exposure to fitness imagery related to appearance (“fitspiration”), compared to body positive imagery (“self-love”) and neutral imagery impacted state body image, mood, and self-esteem. The study also investigated what social media activities increased vulnerability to the impact of social media on body image, mood, and self-esteem. Female university students (n = 78) were randomised to receive brief exposure (15-minutes) to a fitspiration (n = 26), self-love (n = 26), or neutral Instagram feed (n = 26). The impact of exposure to social media content on state self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and mood was assessed by comparing baseline and post social media exposure scores across the three groups. Factors that may influence this relationship were also explored to determine if these behaviours made individuals more vulnerable to the effects of social media exposure. Results indicated that participants who were exposed to the fitspiration condition scored significantly worse on state mood and body dissatisfaction after viewing the social media feed, compared to participants in the self-love condition who showed significant improvements in state mood and body dissatisfaction after exposure. There were no significant changes in state self-esteem between the groups. Thematic analyses revealed that body dissatisfaction, unrealistic body ideals, and motivation to exercise were the most common themes identified by participants in the fitspiration group after exposure. Body gratitude, improved mindset, and self-acceptance were the most common themes identified by participants in the self-love group after exposure. Whereas motivation to be healthier and feeling relaxed were the most frequently identified themes by participants in the neutral group. Multiple regression analyses indicated that baseline body dissatisfaction and group of exposure were the greatest predictors of body dissatisfaction post exposure. Negative mood state at baseline, state self-esteem, internalisation, and group of exposure were the most significant predictors of negative mood state post-exposure. Positive mood state and group of exposure were the strongest predictors of positive mood state post-exposure. None of the predictors in the model for state self-esteem and appearance self-esteem significantly explained state self-esteem and appearance self-esteem post-exposure. The current study is the first to include a mixed-method design including quantitative and qualitative measures that explores body image using an objective measure of social media use. The results strengthen previous literature that suggest the maladaptive effects associated with social media on body image. More specifically, the findings confirm that brief exposure to fitspiration content worsens state body dissatisfaction and mood, compared to self-love content, which has been shown to improve state mood and body dissatisfaction. The findings have important implications for body image interventions, social media and health literacy, and social networking sites’ ethics, policy design and implementation. Future research directions include replicating this study with more diverse populations, additional measures such as social desirability, and an Instagram page personalised to the participant to increase ecological validity, as well as allowing interactive behaviour such as liking and commenting behaviour to determine if these potentiate the impact of content exposure.