Instagram and TikTok use and eating disorder symptoms in adolescent girls: the role of social comparison

Czech version

Authors: Juraj Jurík; Jana Trebatická
Authors‘ workplace: Klinika detskej psychiatrie, Lekárska fakulta, Univerzita Komenského a Národný ústav detských chorôb, Bratislava
Published in: Čes-slov Pediat 2026; 81 (3): 163-168.
Category: Original Papers
doi: https://doi.org/10.55095/CSPediatrie2026/030

Overview

Jurík J, Trebatická J. Instagram and TikTok use and eating disorder symptoms in adolescent girls: the role of social comparison

Introduction: Social networking sites represent a major space for social comparison during adolescence and may be linked to body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) symptoms. In clinical practice, risk is often discussed primarily in terms of “screen time”, although mechanisms such as negative social comparison and problematic use may be more informative than time alone.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in a non-clinical sample of 267 girls (14–17 years old). Eating disorder symptoms were assessed using the EDE-Q questionnaire (22 items scored; α = 0.938). Instagram and TikTok use was measured by time spent, problematic use scales (Instagram 23 items; TikTok 25 items), and negative social comparison (5 items for each platform). Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical linear regression analysis with covariates (age, BMI, sleep, impulsivity).

Results: Instagram was used by 93.6% and TikTok by 77.5% of respondents. EDE-Q scores correlated most strongly with negative social comparison (both p < 0.001), whereas associations with time spent were weak. Time spent on these social networking sites did not predict the level of EDE-Q score. In the fully adjusted model (Model C), negative social comparison was the strongest predictor (p < 0.001); BMI (p = 0.001) and sleep (p = 0.008) also remained statistically significant.

Conclusion: In adolescent girls, eating disorder symptoms are more strongly associated with negative social comparison than with the amount of time spent on social networking sites. For clinical practice, these data support focusing preventive questions on areas such as appearance comparison and using social media for emotion regulation, rather than only on the number of hours spent on social media.

Keywords:

social media – sleep – adolescence – eating disorder symptoms – EDE-Q – Instagram – TikTok – social comparison – social networking sites – problematic use

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