Social Media’s Impact on Physical Body Dissatisfaction and Objectified Body Consciousness: Investigating Miami’s Adolescent Self-Perception from Exposure to TikTok

Abstract

This paper examines the variables that led to the highest levels of objectified body consciousness (OBC) and physical body dissatisfaction (PBD) among adolescents aged 13-19 who were exposed to TikTok and attended school in Miami-Dade County after the COVID-19 pandemic. TikTok is used at high frequencies by various adolescent age ranges; however, previous studies identified that constant exposure leads to negative body image issues, ultimately resulting in long-term detrimental health effects. Factor analysis identified the correlation among variables collected through the distribution of a questionnaire in which adolescents shared their feelings about their body images from exposure to TikTok. The strongest variables identifying PBD and OBC among adolescents were the exposure before and after one’s reported TikTok experience and the belief that one’s TikTok experience affects an adolescent’s perception of their physical appearance and the answer to this question, respectively. This study identified that users who engaged in higher frequencies of TikTok usage were more likely to rate themselves with a higher overall body satisfaction due to pre-established conditioning of harmful exposure from TikTok, regardless of one’s gender. Conclusions drawn were that social media applications such as TikTok directly impact an adolescent’s feeling of OBC and PBD, and increased exposure will only lead to lower PBD levels and higher OBC levels, altering one’s self-perception.