Seeing and Being Seen: A Latent Class Analysis of Social Media Use Among Young Individuals With Visible Differences and Its Links to Sociodemographic Characteristics, Norms, Body Characteristics, and Body Image

Appearance-focused interactions are common on social media and may be particularly relevant for the body image of young individuals with appearance-altering conditions, also known as visible differences. Yet, little is known about how these interactions co-occur to form usage patterns, especially in this group. This study, therefore, examined distinct social media usage patterns based on visible difference-related social media interactions (exposure to visible differences, engagement in public and private safety behaviours), usage time, and posting and sharing behaviours. Next, associations between subgroup membership and various individual factors were explored. Survey data from 119 Dutch-speaking young individuals with visible differences (Mage = 25.32; SDage = 3.44; 82.35% girls) were analysed using latent class analysis, revealing two subgroups. The first subgroup avoided posting on social media and sharing pictures via instant messages or concealed their visible difference, whereas the second subgroup openly displayed their condition on social media. Members of the first subgroup were more likely to have stronger norms restricting visible difference presentation on social media, and more negative body image. Findings highlight the relevance of studying co-occurring appearance-related interactions and inform tailored interventions.