TY - JOUR
T1 - Face yourself(ie)
T2 - Investigating selfie-behavior in females with severe eating disorder symptoms
AU - Yellowlees, R.
AU - Dingemans, A.E.
AU - Veldhuis, Jolanda
AU - Bij de Vaate, Nadia A.J.D.
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - Introduction: With the rise of camera phones, selfie-taking has become a normative part of our modern culture. However, little is known about how this behavior may relate to eating disorder (ED) characteristics, particularly in those who already have eating disorder symptoms of clinical severity. The current study investigated how selfie-posting and selfie-taking with no intention of posting online (offline selfies) were related to ED symptoms. Method: A total of 152 females (average age 22.44 years) with ED symptoms of clinical severity completed self-report questionnaires measuring selfie-frequency (online and offline), frequency of non-selfie photo posting, social networking site use, body dissatisfaction, body checking, ED symptom severity, self-esteem and body avoidance. Responses were collected via an ED social community. Results: No direct relationship, or indirect association via body dissatisfaction, was found between selfie behavior and ED symptom severity. However, the more offline selfies an individual took, the more frequently they body checked, and this, in turn, was related to greater ED symptom severity. Conclusions: These results suggest that offline selfies may be a modern form of body checking. Our findings are the first to imply that offline selfie-taking may be a problematic behavior and a potential maintenance factor for individuals with severe ED symptoms.
AB - Introduction: With the rise of camera phones, selfie-taking has become a normative part of our modern culture. However, little is known about how this behavior may relate to eating disorder (ED) characteristics, particularly in those who already have eating disorder symptoms of clinical severity. The current study investigated how selfie-posting and selfie-taking with no intention of posting online (offline selfies) were related to ED symptoms. Method: A total of 152 females (average age 22.44 years) with ED symptoms of clinical severity completed self-report questionnaires measuring selfie-frequency (online and offline), frequency of non-selfie photo posting, social networking site use, body dissatisfaction, body checking, ED symptom severity, self-esteem and body avoidance. Responses were collected via an ED social community. Results: No direct relationship, or indirect association via body dissatisfaction, was found between selfie behavior and ED symptom severity. However, the more offline selfies an individual took, the more frequently they body checked, and this, in turn, was related to greater ED symptom severity. Conclusions: These results suggest that offline selfies may be a modern form of body checking. Our findings are the first to imply that offline selfie-taking may be a problematic behavior and a potential maintenance factor for individuals with severe ED symptoms.
KW - Body checking
KW - Body dissatisfaction
KW - Eating disorders
KW - Selfies
KW - Social media
KW - Social networking sites
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U2 - 10.1016/j.chb.2019.07.018
DO - 10.1016/j.chb.2019.07.018
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85069564582
SN - 0747-5632
VL - 101
SP - 77
EP - 83
JO - Computers in Human Behavior
JF - Computers in Human Behavior
ER -