Study: Social Media Breaks Boost Self-Esteem in Young Women

A groundbreaking study conducted by York University's Faculty of Health has found that taking a one-week break from social media can significantly improve self-esteem and body image in young women. The research is the first to specifically examine the impact of social media abstinence on body image.

Why this matters: The findings of this study have significant implications for the mental health and well-being of young people, particularly in the context of the growing concern about the mounting harmful effects of social media on self-esteem and body image. As social media use continues to be a ubiquitous part of modern life, understanding the effects of social media abstinence on mental health can inform strategies for promoting healthy social media use and mitigating its negative consequences.

The study involved 66 first-year female undergraduates, with half continuing their usual social media habits and the other half refraining from social media for one week. After just seven days, the group that abstained from social media showed remarkable improvements in self-esteem and body image compared to the control group.

Professor Jennifer Mills, the study's co-author, expressed excitement about the unusually large effect sizes observed. "The statistician inside me was excited—we don't often see effect sizes this large in my area of psychology research because human behavior is complicated and there's lots of variability," she noted.

Professor Mills' lab has been at the forefront of research on the negative impacts of social media on mental health. The study's findings suggest that social media abstinence may be an effective strategy for protecting young people's well-being and influencing social media companies to give users more control over their interactions with these platforms.

The constant exposure to curated and unrealistic content on social media can be particularly harmful to developing brains, leading to increased reward sensitivity, risky behaviors, and anxiety levels. Social media misuse is linked to body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and eating disorders among adolescents and young adults.

Professor Mills highlighted the stark contrast between the current social media landscape and the media environment when she began researching eating disorders. "Back then, you could only spend so many minutes or hours looking at fashion and beauty magazines and they only came out once a month," she explained. "With social media, it's infinite. It's always new and novel, which triggers our brain's reward system that makes us want more and more of something."

Key Takeaways

• A 1-week social media break improves self-esteem and body image in young women.
• Social media abstinence reduces detrimental comparisons and promotes healthier behaviors.
• Excessive social media use is linked to low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders.
• Social media breaks can be an effective strategy for protecting young people's well-being.
• Limiting social media use can lead to increased productivity, academic performance, and mental health.