Social media social comparison orientation and physical self-efficacy among Chinese college students: sequential mediation via body shame and body appreciation

Purpose This study examined the association between social media social comparison orientation and physical self-efficacy among Chinese college students, and tested whether body shame and body appreciation mediated this association independently and sequentially. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 3,401 undergraduate students from 12 universities in Shandong Province, China. Using convenience sampling, participants were recruited through university-affiliated online channels, including class communication groups, university social media groups, student organization networks, and learning platforms, with dissemination support from local collaborators. Measures of social media social comparison orientation, body shame, body appreciation, and physical self-efficacy were administered in Chinese. Structural equation modeling and bias-corrected bootstrapping were used to estimate direct and indirect associations. Results Social media social comparison orientation was negatively associated with physical self-efficacy (β = −0.30) and body appreciation (β = −0.26), and positively associated with body shame (β = 0.32). Body shame was negatively associated with physical self-efficacy (β = −0.19) and body appreciation (β = −0.28), whereas body appreciation was positively associated with physical self-efficacy (β = 0.23; all ps < .001). Bootstrapping indicated a significant total association between social media social comparison orientation and physical self-efficacy [β = −0.441, 95% CI (−0.478, −0.403)], including a significant direct association [β = −0.298, 95% CI (−0.342, −0.253)] and a significant total indirect association [β = −0.143, 95% CI (−0.163, −0.124)]. Specific indirect associations were significant via body shame [β = −0.061, 95% CI (−0.076, −0.049)] and body appreciation [β = −0.061, 95% CI (−0.075, −0.048)]. The sequential indirect association through body shame and body appreciation was also significant [β = −0.021, 95% CI (−0.027, −0.016)]. Conclusion Higher social media social comparison orientation was associated with lower physical self-efficacy among Chinese college students. Body shame and body appreciation were linked to this association both as separate indirect pathways and as a sequential indirect pathway. These findings underscore the importance of body-related self-conscious emotion and positive body image in understanding how social media comparison orientation relates to perceived physical ability in a Chinese college context.