The longitudinal associations between appearance-focused social network site use and body dissatisfaction among college students: serial mediation of appearance comparison and internalization of appearance ideals

Introduction – Body dissatisfaction is common among college students, and social network site use is a potential risk factor. However, research rarely focuses on specific content types. This study investigates how appearance-focused social network site use affects body dissatisfaction and its underlying mechanisms. Methods – This longitudinal study included 1, 999 college students assessed at three time points over one year. It examined the longitudinal associations of appearance-focused social network site use with body dissatisfaction, as well as the mediating roles of appearance comparison, internalization of appearance ideals, and self-objectification. Results – Appearance-focused social network site use was significantly and positively prospectively associated with body dissatisfaction in college students. Appearance comparison and internalization of appearance ideals independently mediated this relationship, and their serial mediation effect was significant. The independent mediating effect of self-objectification and chain paths involving this variable were not significant. Discussion – These findings support the relevance of classic theories in the new media context and offer practical insights for interventions to reduce college students’ body dissatisfaction.