Social attitudes toward appearance, social physique anxiety and the use of social media before and after COVID-19 in young adults

Abstract

Body image and related issues are issues that have attracted research interest for many years before COVID-19 period. There are still many points that can be revealed. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether body image, social body anxiety, and social media use differed following the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults. In the present study participated 384 young adults with mean age 22.88 years (SD = 6.04). Before COVID-19 period participated 203 subjects (108 males and 95 females) after COVID-19 period participated 181 subjects (80 males and 101 females). They completed self-reported questionnaires examining sociocultural attitudes toward appearance (SATAQ-4), Social Physique Anxiety, the use of Social Media and personal demographic information. After COVID period internalization/ muscular and internalization/ thin decreased and men scored higher than women. On the other hand, pressure by media increased especially for women. There were no differences in pressure by others (family or peers). Before COVID period men and women hand similar levels of pressure for thin body, as they scored higher in the pressure by media, but after COVID period men and women reported different levels of pressure to be thin. In Social physique Anxiety women had higher levels than men and higher levels after COVID period than before. The prediction of SPA revealed significant differences before and after COVID-19 period. Studies should be conducted after the COVID -19 period in young adults, as body image and social media usage have changed.