Exploring Social Media Use And Body Image Concerns In Midlife And Older Women: A Mixed Methods Approach.

Abstract

Social media has been shown to negatively impact the body image of girls and young women. Social media is considered a newer transmitter of sociocultural ideals, including the thin ideal. However, research on whether this impact extends to midlife and older women has been scarce if not non-existent. This convergent mixed methods study contributed to the literature by investigating the impact of social media on the body image of midlife and older women. Multiple linear regression and thematic analysis were utilized to analyze the data. Results were then merged to identify convergent and divergent information. The results of this study indicated that social media negatively impacts the body image of midlife and older women. This study also demonstrated the complexity of age as a mediating factor with body image in older women. Also, this study expanded the sociocultural model and social comparison theories to midlife and older women. The methodology of the study also contributed to the literature. Counseling implications are discussed.