Outcomes of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of the SoMe Social Media Literacy Program for Improving Body Image-Related Outcomes in Adolescent Boys and Girls.
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Abstract |
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Although the negative effect of social media use among youth on body image and eating concerns has been established, few classroom-based resources that can decrease these effects through targeting social media literacy skills have been developed. This study aimed to test the efficacy of SoMe, a social media literacy body image, dieting, and wellbeing program for adolescents, through a cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants ( = 892; M = 12.77, = 0.74; range 11-15; 49.5% male) were randomized by school ( 8) to receive either weekly SoMe ( = 483) or control sessions (lessons as usual; 409) over 4 weeks in their classroom. Participants completed surveys at four timepoints (baseline, 1-week post-intervention, and 6- and 12-month follow-up) assessing body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, strategies to increase muscles (primary outcomes), self-esteem and depressive symptoms (secondary outcomes), and internalization of appearance ideals and appearance comparison (exploratory outcomes). Modest positive intervention effects were found in dietary restraint and depressive symptoms at 6-month follow-up in girls but few positive effects emerged for boys. The findings provide only preliminary support for a social media literacy intervention, but suggest the usefulness of both identifying those who benefit most from a universally delivered intervention and the need to refine the intervention to maximize intervention effects. |
Year of Publication |
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2021
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Journal |
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Nutrients
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Volume |
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13
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Issue |
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11
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Date Published |
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2021
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URL |
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https://www.mdpi.com/resolver?pii=nu13113825
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DOI |
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10.3390/nu13113825
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Short Title |
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Nutrients
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