Adolescent females' use of Instagram in relation to body image construction and evaluation
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- Title
- Adolescent females' use of Instagram in relation to body image construction and evaluation
- Creator
- Kathryn Ryan
- Supervisor
- Dr Isabel Henton, Dr Russel Aisling, Dr Elaine Kaskett.
- Date
- 2021
- Abstract
- Instagram is a social media platform in which images can be filtered, doctored or produced for a particular audience. It is based on an approval system of 'likes' and 'follows' which, similarly to other social networking sites (SNS), means an individual can amass a large 'following' based on the popularity of the images shown. Instagram is one of the more popular SNS amongst adolescents and has contributed to the increase in edited and enhanced pictures circulating the Internet. Social media has changed the experience of adolescence, a crucial developmental stage in which, amongst other things, the development of the individuals body image and personal identity. There remains a paucity of data on the association between body image, the increase in doctored images, and social comparison processes. It is theorised in this study that photo-centred comparison and online interaction have clinical implications for the discipline of counselling psychology. This study is firstly an exploration of how adolescent females use Instagram to convey and promote particular images of their physical self, and secondly how Instagram impacts body image development in adolescence. Ten females aged between 16 and 18 years were interviewed. Kings (1998) version of Template Analysis was used to analyse data. Results indicate that the social comparison processes occurring on SNS are potentially disrupting the healthy development of body image in the adolescents that use this platform. Body image disturbance as a result of Instagram engagement has several notable clinical implications including disordered eating habits, anxiety and depression. Programmes that enable teachers, parents and the wider community to understand and address these issues are suggested, along with therapeutic interventions aimed at supporting adolescent users of Instagram.
- Subject
- Social media|Body image|Instagram (Online social network)|Adolescents
- Counselling Psychology
- Extent
- 200 pages
- Format
- Publisher
- Regent's University London
- degree
- PhD in Counselling Psychology
- Description
- EThOS ID: 842091
- Language
- English
- Date Issued
- 2021
- Type
- Thesis & Dissertation
- Rights Holder
- Regent's University London & Kathryn Ryan
- Item sets
- Theses or Dissertation