The Influence of Social Media Addiction and Emotion Regulation on Body Image and Cosmetic Surgery Desire in Women

Background: The rise of social media has significantly impacted how individuals perceive themselves and present themselves to the world. This is particularly concerning for women, who are often bombarded with idealized images of beauty standards that can lead to body dissatisfaction and a desire for cosmetic surgery. Aim: This study aimed to investigate cosmetic surgery tendencies in women in Ahvaz City (Iran) based on social media addiction and emotion regulation through the mediating role of body image. Methods: The research sample included 200 women who underwent cosmetic surgery in 2022-2023 and were selected using a convenience sampling method. The data collection tools included the Body Image Questionnaire, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the Social Media Addiction Questionnaire, and the Cosmetic Surgery Tendencies Questionnaire. SPSS version 22 and Amos version 20 software were used for data analysis. Results: The results indicated robust positive associations between social media addiction and both cosmetic surgery desire and body image among women (P<0.001). Conversely, significant negative correlations were found between emotion regulation and both body image and cosmetic surgery desire (P<0.001). Mediation analyses revealed that body image significantly mediated the relationships between social media addiction and cosmetic surgery desire, as well as emotion regulation and cosmetic surgery desire (P<0.001). The proposed model demonstrated a satisfactory fit to the data, as evidenced by acceptable fit indices (RMSEA= 0.073, IFI= 0.90, CFI= 0.90, GFI= 0.90). Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between social media addiction, emotion regulation, body image, and cosmetic surgery tendencies in women. The findings underscore the mediating role of body image in these relationships and emphasize the need for interventions that promote healthy body image and emotional regulation skills among women.