Appearance-related content is ubiquitous across highly visual social media platforms, in both imagery and text. The present study aims to explore the content of text-based interactions initiated by self-images on Instagram. Seventeen adolescent girls from the UK (Age M = 15.12; SD = 1.80; Range = 12-18) provided data from their most recent Instagram posts (up to 10 posts) as part of one-to-one interviews. This included images (n = 85), captions (n = 85), direct comments on images (n = 630) and participants' first replies to direct comments (n = 459). An inductive-deductive content analysis was used to analyse Instagram data, and a template analysis was used to analyse the interview data to aid with the interpretation of the content. Analyses showed positive appearance-related compliments were highly prevalent on Instagram posts (79.2 % of comments) and were considered the norm. Compliments tended to focus on general, rather than specific appearance qualities. Girls tended to respond to compliments using likes, gratitude, or affectionate expressions. The findings highlight the role of self-objectification and self-presentation strategies in dictating the norms of adolescent girls' text-based interactions on Instagram. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Appearance-related interactions with peers, both positive and negative, are commonplace on social media. Using qualitative methods, this study explores U.K. adolescents' shared understandings and experiences of these interactions. Sixty-four adolescents (Age M = 12.56; SD = 0.97; Girls = 33) from a secondary school in Northern England participated in semi-structured focus groups. Using thematic analysis, three themes were developed that encapsulate their shared understandings of appearance-related interactions: (a) positive appearance commentary is the norm, especially if you are popular and attractive; (b) comments to others should be positive, but comments about the self should be modest and self-deprecating; and (c) negative appearance comments are problematic but not always intentionally harmful. Overall, our findings suggest that, to adolescents, the boundaries between positive and negative interactions are blurred, as content, intention, gender, and social rules intersect with social media platform design. Further research is needed to better understand how social media site design alters adolescents' appearance interactions, as well as the role of these interactions in the development and maintenance of peer relationships and body image concerns.

Background A growing body of research has linked social media use to negative body image. Aims The present research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Digital Bodies, a brief classroom-based intervention that aims to improve adolescents' body image. Methods British adolescents (N = 290; Age M = 12.81; SD = 0.40; Range = 12-13; Female = 151) were cluster randomized to intervention or waiting list control groups. Measures of body satisfaction, appearance ideal internalization (thin and athletic ideal internalization) and self-objectification were completed at baseline (T1), 1-week post-intervention (T2) and 8-week follow-up (T3). Results Multi-level modelling showed adolescents in the intervention group reported improved body satisfaction at T2, in comparison to the control, and crucially this effect was sustained at T3. Additionally, girls reported less thin ideal internalization at T2 relative to the control, but this effect was not sustained at T3. No other intervention effects were found. Conclusions Overall, the findings provide initial support for the efficacy of Digital Bodies as an intervention for improving adolescents' body satisfaction.

This research evaluates the efficacy of a classroom-based intervention – Body Talk in the Digital Age (BTIDA) – in reducing adolescents’ appearance commentary and improving body image. British adolescents ( N = 314; Age Range = 12–14) were cluster randomised to intervention or waiting-list control groups. Measures of appearance commentary, appearance ideal internalisation, self-objectification and body satisfaction were completed at baseline (T1), then one-week (T2) and eight-week (T3) post-intervention. Multi-level modelling showed girls who received BTIDA reported less appearance commentary engagement and thin ideal internalisation at T2 and T3, than the control, supporting the partial efficacy of BTIDA for girls. No intervention effects were found among boys.