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Outcomes of a cluster randomized controlled trial of the some social media literacy program for improving body image-related outcomes in adolescent boys and girls

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journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-19, 06:29 authored by CS Gordon, Hannah JarmanHannah Jarman, RF Rodgers, SA McLean, A Slater, Matthew Fuller-TyszkiewiczMatthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, SJ Paxton
Although the negative effect of social media use among youth on body image and eating concerns has been established, few classroom-based resources that can decrease these effects through targeting social media literacy skills have been developed. This study aimed to test the efficacy of SoMe, a social media literacy body image, dieting, and wellbeing program for adolescents, through a cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants (n = 892; Mage = 12.77, SD = 0.74; range 11–15; 49.5% male) were randomized by school (n = 8) to receive either weekly SoMe (n = 483) or control sessions (lessons as usual; n = 409) over 4 weeks in their classroom. Participants completed surveys at four timepoints (baseline, 1-week post-intervention, and 6- and 12-month follow-up) assessing body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, strategies to increase muscles (primary outcomes), self-esteem and depressive symptoms (secondary outcomes), and internalization of appearance ideals and appearance comparison (exploratory outcomes). Modest positive intervention effects were found in dietary restraint and depressive symptoms at 6-month follow-up in girls but few positive effects emerged for boys. The findings provide only preliminary support for a social media literacy intervention, but suggest the usefulness of both identifying those who benefit most from a universally delivered intervention and the need to refine the intervention to maximize intervention effects.

History

Journal

Nutrients

Volume

13

Article number

ARTN 3825

Pagination

1 - 17

Location

Switzerland

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

2072-6643

eISSN

2072-6643

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

11

Publisher

MDPI