Objective: Emerging literature suggests an association between time spent on social networking sites and the development of eating disorder psychopathology, however this relationship is less understood among emerging adolescents and across a spectrum of eating disorder diagnoses. Additionally, research suggests that holding certain identities or traits, such as identifying as gay, bisexual, or questioning, or being female, may incur increased risk for eating pathology on social networking sites. The aim of this study is then to determine if time spent on social networking sites is predictive of the development of full threshold and other specified eating disorder diagnoses among emerging adolescents.Method: We analyzed prospective cohort data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N = 10,186). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate associations between time spent on social networking sites at one-year follow-up and parent-reported eating disorder diagnoses based on the computerized Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS-5) at two-year follow-up, adjusting for age and sex.Results: Results found that among adolescents (N = 10,186), social networking predicted full threshold and other specified eating disorder diagnosis one year later (AOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.10-1.69, p = 0.002). There was an effect modification by sexual orientation, such that for adolescents who identified as heterosexual, each additional hour of social networking was associated with higher odds of an eating disorder at year two follow up (AOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.06 – 1.70, p = 0.009). Finally, results indicated that there was an effect modification for adolescent females wherein each additional hour of social networking was associated with higher odds of an eating disorder at year two follow up (AOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.19 – 1.95, p < .001).Discussion: Findings extend previous research to suggest that time spent on social networking sites incurs increased risk for full threshold and other specified eating disorders across a spectrum of binge eating and purging behaviors. Proposed mechanisms for these findings are discussed. Parents, clinicians, and caregivers may want to carefully consider implications of time spent on social networking sites when discussing internet and device usage with adolescents.
Lauren Evoy Davis (Thu,) studied this question.