Objective:

To investigate how appearance-focused social network site use affects body dissatisfaction in college students and the underlying mechanisms involved.

Approach:

• Study Design: A longitudinal study involving 1,999 college students assessed at three time points over one year.
• Key Variables: Examined associations of appearance-focused social network site use with body dissatisfaction, and the mediating roles of appearance comparison, internalization of appearance ideals, and self-objectification.

Key Findings:

• Appearance-focused social network site use was significantly and positively associated with body dissatisfaction.
• Appearance comparison and internalization of appearance ideals independently mediated the relationship between social media use and body dissatisfaction.
• The serial mediation effect of appearance comparison and internalization of appearance ideals was significant.
• The independent mediating effect of self-objectification was not significant.

Interpretation:

The findings support classic theories in the context of new media.

Limitations:

• Limited research specifically examining appearance-focused social network site use.
• Existing studies have varied in measurement methods, which may affect the results.

Conclusion:

The study emphasizes the need to understand the impact of appearance-focused social media on body image among college students.