Emotional Distress and Body Dissatisfaction: The Mediating Role of Social Media and Emotional Regulation

Background: Body dissatisfaction is defined as a negative attitude towards one's body, characterized by emotional disorders. Currently, problematic use of social media seems to be associated with an increase in body dissatisfaction and emotional distress. Therefore, the present study examined the relationship between emotional distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) and body dissatisfaction, as well as the mediating role of emotional regulation and problematic social media use in this relationship. In addition, the study aims to identify sex differences in the four research variables. Methods: Measures of the four variables mentioned above were administered to 2520 participants over 18 (M = 48.35; SD = 16.56, 51% females). Results: The results reveal that women reported higher levels of emotional regulation, emotional distress, body dissatisfaction, and problematic use of social media. Emotional distress correlated with problematic use of social media, emotion regulation strategies (i.e., rumination and catastrophizing), and body dissatisfaction. The relationship between emotional distress and body dissatisfaction was mediated by the problematic use of social media and emotional regulation. Conclusions: These findings underscore the relevance of educating social media users on strategies for emotional regulation. The results highlight the clinical importance of including the emotion regulation approach to a comprehensive understanding of body dissatisfaction.