Body Image and Mental Health in Childhood and Adolescence in the Digital Age

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, mental health in childhood and adolescence is a topic of interest for all social institutions, transcending the borders of all nations. Body image is a common and critical denominator in multiple problems that require an urgent approach. Globalization, the rise of social networks, and the omnipresent pressure to meet unrealistic beauty standards have generated a worrying phenomenon on a global level: children and adolescents who feel frustrated and disappointed with their bodies. This worrying trend has immediate implications for children and adolescents' mental health and raises questions about their ability to build a sustainable and healthy future.

In this Special Issue, “Body Image and Mental Health in Childhood and Adolescence in the Digital Age”, we aim to address these issues from an empirical and multidisciplinary perspective, delving into the following aspects:

Firstly, dissatisfaction with body image in children and adolescents is closely related to body dysphoria, eating disorders, suicide, gender identity problems, and other mental disorders that affect the person, their family, close social nucleus, and society. These issues are not limited to a specific country or culture; instead, they affect children and adolescents worldwide.

Secondly, the negative impact of social networks and new technologies on children and adolescents’ perception of themselves is an issue of great concern. Children and adolescents face constant pressure to present an idealized image of themselves on digital platforms, which can lead to anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the combination of artificial intelligence and social media to create false and harmful content represents an emerging threat to your mental health.

Thirdly, it is urgent to know how to identify children and adolescents with a distorted body image and prevent dramatic results. This Special Issue also explores how behaviors at school, on social media, and in everyday life can serve as early indicators of disorders or vulnerabilities, allowing for more effective interventions. In this sense, it is also essential to know how parents influence the triggering, maintenance, or prevention of these disorders in their children. It is necessary to understand how this factor can affect parenting and co-parenting.

Fourthly, the role of teen idols in the lives of children and adolescents is a crucial issue. It is necessary to analyze who these idols are and how they influence, both negatively and positively, children and adolescents, providing a critical perspective on the formation of role models.

Fifthly, it is urgent to identify the key variables that influence the mental health of children and adolescents and the understanding of the aspects of good mental health in childhood and adolescence, because they are essential to guide effective interventions. It is urgent to know when and at what stages of development children and adolescents are most vulnerable to bad habits and negative influences in order to know if there is a critical age and if this varies according to gender and family profile.

In summary, this Special Issue, through presenting using robust research with strong empirical evidence, aims to address the construction of body image and its influence on mental health in the early stages of life (childhood and adolescence). Its global relevance and impact on the sustainable personal development of children and adolescents make this topic an essential contribution for scientists, health professionals, educators, and parents interested in your well-being in an increasingly digital world focused on appearance. These issues' relevance to our global society's sustainable future cannot be underestimated. This particular topic offers a multidisciplinary approach that seeks to effectively understand and address these challenges.

Prof. Dr. Paula Fernández
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• healthy mental health
• children and adolescents
• body image
• social networks (social media) and globalization
• mental disorders
• teen idols
• vulnerability
• sustainable development
• unrealistic beauty standards
• parenting and co-parenting