Influence of social networks on the formation of dysmorphophobia and the risk of developing eating disorders in students

Objective. To assess the nature of the influence exerted by social networks on the formation of dysmorphophobia and to determine the incidence of risk for eating disorders (ED) among university students. Additionally, the study seeks to evaluate the hypothesis regarding the relationship between retrospective exposure to harmful content and the manifestation of actual symptoms. Material and methods. The study included 90 students with a mean age of 21.7±2.4 years. A comprehensive online questionnaire was administered, including an author-developed scale to evaluate the current and retrospective impact of social media, as well as the standardized Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) for ED screening. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis (Spearman), and the Mann—Whitney U-test were employed for data analysis. Results. The findings revealed that 38.9% (n=35) of respondents presented with an average, increased, or high risk of ED, as indicated by the EAT-26, a figure that exceeds the proportion of individuals with an established clinical diagnosis by tenfold (3.3%, n=3). Over 60% (n=54) of the sample acknowledged a moderate to strong influence of social networks on their body image perception. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation was identified between the retrospective impact of harmful content and the risk of ED (rS=0.41, p<0.01), as well as a strong correlation with the actual impact (rS=0.58, p<0.001). The frequency of social media usage was identified as a modulating factor that strengthens these associations. Conclusions. The prevalence of ED among students is predominantly latent. The prolonged adverse effects of harmful social media content have been substantiated, underscoring the pressing need to develop targeted screening and preventive programs within the educational setting.