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Eating Disorders 2016
September 12-13, 2016
Volume 6, Issue 7(Suppl) J Obes Weight Loss Ther 2016
ISSN: 2165-7904 JOWT, an open access journal
conferenceseries .com
September 12-13, 2016 Philadelphia, USA
World Congress on
Eating Disorders, Nutrition & Mental Health
The Power of Pictures: Exploring the association between the level and type of Instagram use and
wellbeing among female emerging adults
Carmen Papaluca
University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia
Female emerging adults (18-25) use social media more than males and predominantly engage in image-focused content,
creating and manipulating attractive presentations of themselves through the transformation of images. Female emerging
adults are particularly impressionable to media influences because identity development occurs during this stage. Although
Instagram use has been associated with increased depressive symptoms, social comparison and body dissatisfaction, the
impact of the types of images being viewed has not been measured to date. This is the first phase of a larger study, investigating
if various types of images on Instagram impact differently on mental health. This phase aimed to provide information on
the types of images that are popular on Instagram through a content analysis of Instagram posts. Instagram displays an
‘explore’ page, which showcases popular public images and videos. This page is usually modified based on a user’s interests
and following habits, however a blank Instagram account simply shows a variety of popular and commonly accessed images at
any point in time. One hundred images were sampled per day for three consecutive weeks, until saturation of image types was
achieved. Preliminary analyses indicate the most popular images on Instagram are posted by celebrity accounts. Selfies, fitness-
related imagery and posed photos highlighting aspects of the body are also commonly posted. This study may provide further
information on the link between social media and the prevalence of mental health issues, including body image disturbance
and disordered eating among female emerging adults. Given the unregulated nature of Instagram content, it is vital to first
identify images that are being popularly/routinely followed.
Biography
Carmen Papaluca is a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame, Australia. She graduated as the highest performing Health and Physical Education student
in 2015, also achieving First Class Honours. Her PhD thesis is titled “The Power of Pictures: Exploring the association between the level and type of Instagram use
and wellbeing among female emerging adults.”
Carmen Papaluca, J Obes Weight Loss Ther 2016, 6:7(Suppl)