Exploring Snapchat Dysmorphia, Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms, and Body Trust in Patients Seeking Aesthetic Medicine Procedures

Background Snapchat Dysmorphia is an emerging phenomenon that characterizes individuals seeking aesthetic procedures to replicate the appearance of their digitally altered selfies. This phenomenon has been hypothesized to be linked to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) symptoms. Additionally, body trust (i.e., perceiving the body as safe and trustworthy, relying on its signals and sensations), which could contrast excessive focus on physical appearance, may moderate this relation. Current literature on Snapchat Dysmorphia reveals a notable lack of comprehensive empirical investigations. Objectives The study examined the factorial structure and internal consistency of a newly developed measure: the Snapchat Dysmorphia Questionnaire (SDQ). Additionally, it explored the relation between Snapchat Dysmorphia and BDD symptoms, with a focus on the potential moderating role of body trust. Methods Data was collected from a sample of 163 women seeking aesthetic medicine treatments. The factorial structure and internal consistency of the SDQ were examined. Its association with BDD symptoms was explored within a hierarchical regression model, after controlling for other variables (e.g., motivations to pursue cosmetic procedures). Finally, the potential moderating role of body trust was tested. Results Findings supported a unidimensional factor structure for the SDQ, which also demonstrated a significant association with BDD symptoms. Body trust did not moderate this relation. Conclusions Findings provide preliminary support for the validity of the SDQ in women seeking aesthetic medicine procedures and lend empirical weight to anecdotal claims that Snapchat Dysmorphia is distinct yet related to BDD. Finally, while body trust was negatively associated with BDD symptoms, it did not show a moderation effect.