# Examining the Relationship Between Time Spent on Social Media Platforms and Body Image Concerns

## TL;DR

This study explores how time spent on social media, especially TikTok, relates to body dissatisfaction, finding that only TikTok use is significantly linked.

## Contribution

The study identifies TikTok as uniquely associated with body dissatisfaction, unlike other platforms or overall social media use.

## Key findings

- No significant relationship was found between overall social media use and body dissatisfaction.
- Time spent on TikTok was significantly associated with body dissatisfaction.
- The type of social media platform may influence body image concerns more than total usage time.

## Abstract

Research has suggested that a relationship may exist between frequent use of social networking sites (SNSs) and body dissatisfaction; however, there is a lack of research around newer SNS platforms with larger visual imprints, such as TikTok and Snapchat. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between time spent on different SNSs and body dissatisfaction.

An online survey was completed by 199 participants.

A hierarchical linear regression did not reveal a significant relationship between overall time spent on SNSs and body dissatisfaction. A stepwise regression of time spent on individual SNSs revealed that only time spent on TikTok was significantly associated with body dissatisfaction.

The findings suggest that the type of SNSs used, and not the overall time spent on SNSs, may be driving relationships with levels of body dissatisfaction. Further research is required to clarify how different SNS types relate to body image.

No relationship between overall time spent on social media and body dissatisfactionSignificant association between time spent on TikTok and body dissatisfactionSpecific social media use may be related to body image

No relationship between overall time spent on social media and body dissatisfaction

Significant association between time spent on TikTok and body dissatisfaction

Specific social media use may be related to body image