STRESS, SOCIAL MEDIA USE, AND BODY IMAGE CONCERNS AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Background: Adolescent girls are increasingly exposed to social media environments that promote idealized body standards, placing them at heightened risk for body dissatisfaction and psychological distress. Given the developmental vulnerability of this age group, the potential mental health consequences of such exposure warrant focused investigation. Objective: To examine the associations between social media usage patterns and psychological distress related to body image among adolescent girls. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months involving 287 female secondary school students aged 13–18. Participants were categorized into low, moderate, and high social media engagement groups based on the Social Media Engagement Questionnaire. Body image concerns were assessed using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ-34), while stress, anxiety, and depression were measured with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: High social media engagement was significantly associated with elevated BSQ-34 scores (mean = 126.8 ± 15.2), indicating greater body dissatisfaction compared to moderate (103.4 ± 13.8) and low (82.5 ± 10.3) engagement groups. DASS-21 subscale scores for stress, anxiety, and depression were also markedly higher in the high engagement group. Regression analysis confirmed social media engagement as a significant predictor of body image distress and psychological symptoms after controlling for confounders. Conclusion: Frequent and appearance-focused social media use is strongly linked with body dissatisfaction and psychological distress in adolescent girls. These findings highlight the urgent need for preventive interventions and policies promoting healthy digital behaviors among youth.