Keywords
Social Media; Acculturation; Body Image; Eating Pathology; Hispanic/Latinx
Abstract
Eating disorders are a group of mental health conditions that are characterized by complex etiologies. The development of eating disorders varies across each individual and their personal background. The current study examined the relationship between levels of acculturation and daily social media use on the presence of body comparison, body dissatisfaction, and eating pathology in Hispanic and Latinx individuals. The aim of this study is to investigate how these factors may lead to a unique etiology of disordered eating, specific to this ethnic group. The current study consisted of two phases. The first phase determined participant eligibility by confirming ethnic group, daily social media use, and an elevated score on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ) (>1.6). The second phase consisted of an ecological momentary assessment assessing body comparison, body dissatisfaction, and level of social media use, specific to that day. Qualifying participants (N=28) completed assessments over the span of 10 days. Results indicated a negative relationship between social media use and body comparison, a positive association between body comparison that day and body dissatisfaction that day, no significant moderation effect of acculturation on the daily path between social media use and body comparison, and no significant moderation effect of acculturation on the daily path between body comparison and body dissatisfaction. Results may implicate a basis for developing culturally sensitive interventions to prevent and address eating disorders in Hispanic/Latinx individuals.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Fall
Thesis Chair
Dvorak, Robert
College
College of Sciences
Department
Psychology
Thesis Discipline
Psychology
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Ortega, Mariana, "The Role of Social Media and Acculturation in Body Comparison, Body Dissatisfaction, and Eating Pathology Among Hispanic and Latinx Individuals" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 451.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/451
Rights Statement
