Mirror, mirror, on my (social media) wall, who’s the prettiest of them all? A serial mediation approach of the factors underlying adolescents’ acceptance of cosmetic surgery

The present study examined the potential factors underlying adolescents’ acceptance of cosmetic surgery. The sample was formed by 335 adolescents aged 12 to 18 (163 females and 172 males). Using an SEM serial mediation model with two mediators, we investigated whether social media use integration would predict the acceptance of cosmetic surgery through ideal body stereotypes – which would further lead to internalized body shaming. Results suggested that high social media use integration was positively associated with high ideal body stereotypes and with a higher acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Also, results indicated a positive association between adolescents’ ideal body stereotype and internalized body shaming, as well as between internalized body shaming and the acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Overall, the findings confirmed the serial mediation approach. Results are discussed concerning adolescents’ mental health and attitudes towards physical appearance in the context of social media use integration.