Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

A new and important factor to study in relation to disordered eating (DE) and body image issues in adolescents is the impact of social media use, which is associated with the development of risk factors for eating disorders. One factor that may act as a buffer against the effects of social media is self-compassion (SC). The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between eating disorder symptoms and SC in adolescents and to explore the role of SC as a buffer against the negative effects of social media use. The proposed longitudinal study will be conducted with a sample of approximately 475 adolescents of all genders from several local high schools over two time points. Adolescents aged 13-18 will complete questionnaires related to social media use, DE, body dissatisfaction, appearance comparison, and SC. I expect that greater use of social media will be associated with higher levels of appearance comparison, body dissatisfaction, and DE, especially among adolescents who present with low levels of SC. This study has several important strengths: (1) it investigates the extent to which SC attenuates the negative impact of social media use on body image and DE, (2) it includes males, who are underrepresented in eating disorder research, and (3) it incorporates a qualitative component which will provide information about how adolescents are using social media, rather than just the amount. This research will help us to better understand the factors that contribute to the onset and maintenance of eating disorders in adolescents.