The relationship of social media addiction with need for social approval and body satisfaction

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of social media addiction with body satis-faction and the need for social approval and to examine whether the need for social approval mediates the relationship between social media addiction and body satisfaction. In addition, it was investigated whether social media addiction, need for social approval, and body satisfaction showed differences according to gender and educational level. The study sample consisted of 305 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 years. Data were collected through online ques-tionnaires which consisted of the Social Media Addiction Scale, the Social Approval Need Scale, The Body Appreciation Scale, and the Socio-Demographic Information Form. Social media addiction was higher and body satisfaction was lower in men compared to women. It was found that participants who had a doctoral degree had higher social media addiction and need of social approval and lower body satisfaction compared to participants from different educational levels. Moreover, there was a significant negative relationship between social media addiction and body satisfaction, and a significant positive relationship between social media addiction and the need for social approval. It was found that the need for social approval partially mediated the rela-tionship between body satisfaction and social media addiction. Lower body satisfaction and higher need for social approval were associated with increased social media addiction. Based on these results, recommendations for preventing social media addiction were discussed and it was suggested for clinicians to implement psychotherapies which promote positive body perception.