Selfie Behaviors among Boys and Men: Exploring Associations with Intentions to Use Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids

BACKGROUND: Self-photos ("selfies") and selfie editing are prevalent on social media and have been linked to body dissatisfaction. However, little is known about their associations with intentions to use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) among boys and men, which were the aims of this study. METHODS: Data were drawn from The Study of Boys and Men, an online survey of 1515 boys and men aged 15-35 years from Canada and the United States who reported no lifetime AAS use. Adjusted linear regression models examined associations between selfie frequency, selfie editing, and intentions to use AAS. RESULTS: Posting two or more selfies in the past 30 days, compared to posting none, was associated with significantly higher intentions to use AAS. Six out of 10 forms of selfie editing were significantly associated with higher intentions to use AAS. Making yourself look larger, making specific parts of your body look larger or look smaller, and making yourself look skinnier were more strongly associated with higher intentions to use AAS. CONCLUSIONS: Selfie frequency and selfie editing are associated with higher intentions to use AAS among boys and men. These findings suggest that selfie practices may represent critical risk factors for AAS use.