Physical appearance comparison mediates the relationship between passive social network use and body image: mitigating effects of sense of self

Previous research has shown that different ways of interacting on social media can lead to various psychological outcomes for users. Specifically, the passive use of social media has been linked to body image concerns. However, the factors that influence this relationship are not fully understood, particularly the moderating role of sense of self (SOS). We aimed to investigate the mediating role of physical appearance comparison in and the moderating effect of SOS on the relationship between passive social network use (PSNU) and body image concerns. We conducted an investigation with 574 students (<i>M</i>_age = 16.32, <i>SD</i>_age = 1.26) in Vietnam. Using structural equation modeling, we found that physical appearance comparison mediates the relationship between PSNU and body image concerns, with SOS serving as a significant moderator in this relationship after controlling for several important covariates, including active social network usage. Notably, the impact of PSNU on body image concerns is stronger for individuals with a weak SOS than for those with a strong SOS. Our findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the association between PSNU and body image concerns, particularly among adolescents. We also clarified some limitations of this study.