The Association Between Problematic Social Media Use and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Global Meta-Analysis

Background & Aim: The rapid proliferation of social media platforms has introduced new psychosocial stressors, particularly for adolescents and young adults. A growing body of research suggests a link between Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) symptoms, yet the magnitude and consistency of this association remain unclear across diverse global populations. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize the global evidence from ۲۰۲۰ to ۲۰۲۵ to provide a precise estimate of the correlation between PSMU and BDD symptoms in this vulnerable demographic. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across major academic databases, including Google Scholar, for studies published between January ۲۰۲۰ and December ۲۰۲۵ that reported a correlation coefficient (.r.) between PSMU and BDD symptoms in samples of adolescents and young adults. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. A random-effects model was employed to calculate the pooled effect size (Fisher's.Z. transformed correlation coefficient) and its ۹۵% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed using the.Q. statistic and the.I^۲. index. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the BDD measurement instrument. Results: The meta-analysis of ۱۲ studies, comprising a total of ۵,۶۷۰ participants, revealed a statistically significant, moderate positive correlation between PSMU and BDD symptoms (.r = ۰.۳۸۵., ۹۵% CI [۰.۳۴۶, ۰.۴۲۳],.p < ۰.۰۰۱.). This indicates that higher levels of problematic social media use are associated with greater severity of BDD symptoms. Significant heterogeneity was observed across the studies (.I^۲ = ۶۶.۲%.,.Q = ۳۲.۵۴.,.p < ۰.۰۰۱.), suggesting that moderator variables influence the effect size. Subgroup analysis indicated that studies using the BDD-YBOCS reported a slightly stronger mean correlation (.r = ۰.۴۲۷.) compared to those using the BDD-Q (.r = ۰.۳۴۸.). Conclusion: The findings confirm a robust, moderate association between Problematic Social Media Use and Body Dysmorphic Disorder symptoms in adolescents and young adults globally. Given the significant heterogeneity, future research should focus on identifying and testing additional moderators, such as cultural context, specific social media behaviors (e.g., photo editing, self-comparison), and gender. These results underscore the need for targeted public health interventions and clinical screening protocols to address the co-occurrence of PSMU and BDD in this population.

کلیدواژه ها:

Problematic Social Media Use ، PSMU ، Body Dysmorphic Disorder ، BDD ، Meta-Analysis ، Adolescents ، Young Adults ، Correlation