Search Results (45)

Background and Objectives: Excessive social media use is repeatedly linked to negative body image outcomes, yet its association with muscle dysmorphia, especially in athletic youth, remains underexplored. We investigated how social media exposure, comparison behavior, and platform engagement relate to muscle dysmorphia symptomatology in young German athletes. Materials and Methods: An anonymous, web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted (July–October 2024) of 540 individuals (45% female; mean age = 24.6 ± 5.3 years; 79% ≥ 3 h sport/week) recruited via Instagram. The questionnaire comprised demographics, sport type, detailed social media usage metrics, and the validated German Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI-1, 15 items). Correlations (Spearman’s ρ, Kendall’s τ) were calculated; multivariate importance was probed with classification-and-regression trees and CatBoost gradient boosting, interpreted via SHAP values. Results: Median daily social media time was 76 min (IQR 55–110). Participants who spent ≥ 60 min per day on social media showed higher MDDI scores (mean 38 ± 7 vs. 35 ± 6; p = 0.010). The strongest bivariate link emerged between perceived social media-induced body dissatisfaction and felt pressure to attain a specific body composition (Spearman ρ = 0.748, Kendall τ = 0.672, p < 0.001). A CatBoost gradient-boosting model out-performed linear regression in predicting elevated MDDI. The three most influential features (via SHAP values) were daily social media time, frequency of comparison with fitness influencers, and frequency of “likes”-seeking behavior. Conclusions: Intensive social media exposure substantially heightens muscle dysmorphia risk in young German athletes. Machine-learning interpretation corroborates time on social media and influencer comparisons as primary drivers. Interventions should combine social media literacy training with sport-specific psychoeducation to mitigate maladaptive comparison cycles and prevent downstream eating disorder pathology. Longitudinal research is warranted to clarify causal pathways and to test targeted digital media interventions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adolescent levels of psychological distress are strongly influenced by community, individual, social, and family factors. Family functioning, social media use, and community disorder have shown high predictive value for psychological distress during this critical stage of development. However, these relationships are not always direct and are often mediated by individual-level variables, such as intolerance of uncertainty. Adolescent psychological well-being is not solely determined by contextual factors; the coping skills developed during this critical stage also play a significant role. Our study aims to analyze how these factors are directly and indirectly related by developing a predictive model of psychological distress in adolescents. Methods: The study included 908 adolescents (46.9% female) aged between 14 and 21 years (M = 16.29, SD = 1.5). Participants completed self-administered questionnaires in a school setting. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate total, direct, and indirect effects. Results: The model showed a good fit to the data. Social media disorder and family functioning showed statistically significant direct and indirect effects on psychological distress. Social media disorder was associated with higher psychological distress, while positive family functioning was protective. Community social disorder was only indirectly linked to higher psychological distress through the increase of intolerance of uncertainty. Conclusions: Intolerance of uncertainty is a critical predictor of adolescent distress, often overlooked despite its significant mediating role. Direct effects of family functioning and social media use also strongly influence distress levels. Impaired family functioning and community disorder interact bidirectionally, creating a cycle that exacerbates distress. Adolescents in these contexts face compounded negative effects from these reinforcing environments. Full article

The advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and the implementation of government policies are accelerating educational reform in China. In this context, understanding the critical factors influencing middle school teachers’ adoption of AI technologies for classroom instruction is essential for fostering the deep integration of these technologies into teaching and improving teaching efficiency in middle schools. Grounded in the structural equation model (SEM) approach, this research integrates the Innovation Diffusion Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and proposes a structural model comprising 10 latent variables. A measurement model is then developed for each latent variable, forming the basis of a survey questionnaire. Through empirical research using the questionnaires of 202 middle school teachers, a validated structural equation model with strong model fitting is established. The findings indicate that the most influential factors positively affecting teachers’ willingness to use AI technologies, in descending order, are Interpersonal Relationships, Innovativeness, Mass Media, Compatibility, Perceived Usefulness, and Perceived Ease of Use. Similarly, factors positively influencing teachers’ actual usage behavior, ranked by impact, include teachers’ willingness, Facilitating Conditions, Career Aspiration, and Perceived Usefulness. Results involving the impact of teachers’ Interpersonal Relationships can update the theoretical understanding of the factors driving the integration of AI into teaching, and be used to put forward specific directions such as social network embedding for actionable practice recommendations. Full article

Background: Social media platforms such as TikTok are significant sources of nutrition information for adolescents and young adults, who are vulnerable to unregulated, algorithm-driven content. This often spreads nutrition misinformation, impacting adolescent and young adult health and dietary behaviors. Objectives: While previous research has explored misinformation on other platforms, TikTok remains underexamined, so this study aimed at evaluating the landscape of nutrition-related content on TikTok. Methods: This study evaluated TikTok nutrition-related content by (1) identifying common nutrition topics and content creator types; (2) assessing the quality and accuracy of content using evidence-based frameworks, and (3) analyzing engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares. Results: The most common creators were health and wellness influencers (32%) and fitness creators (18%). Recipes (31%) and weight loss (34%) dominated the list of topics. When evaluating TikTok posts for quality, 82% of applicable posts lacked transparent advertising, 77% failed to disclose conflicts of interest, 63% promoted stereotypical attitudes, 55% did not provide evidence-based information, 75% lacked balanced and accurate content, and 90% failed to point out the risk and benefits of the advice presented. A total of 36% of posts were considered completely accurate, while 24% were mostly inaccurate, and 18% completely inaccurate. No statistical significance was associated between the level of accuracy or evidence and engagement metrics (p > 0.05). Conclusions: TikTok prioritizes engagement over accuracy, exposing adolescents to harmful nutrition misinformation. Stricter moderation and evidence-based nutrition content are essential to protect adolescent and young adult health. Future research should explore interventions to reduce the impact of misinformation on adolescent dietary behaviors and mental well-being. Full article

This study investigated how older Asian adults (aged 50+) accept fitness apps, focusing on experiential factors derived from the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI). Between December 2023 and March 2024, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit older adults with three months of experience using fitness apps from social media platforms and community groups in multiple Asian countries. Of the 700 initial respondents, 587 valid questionnaires were retained (an 83.8% validity rate). Structural equation modeling (SEM) assessed relationships among relative advantages, compatibility, trialability, gamification, observability, perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived usefulness (PU), behavioral intention, and actual usage. Trialability, relative advantages, and compatibility significantly enhanced PEU (p < 0.01), while gamification and observability did not. By contrast, gamification and observability positively influenced PU (p < 0.05). Both PEU and PU in turn predicted behavioral intention, which explained actual app usage (p < 0.01). These findings underscore the importance of designing fitness apps that accommodate older adults’ skills and preferences, while also incorporating engaging features that reinforce perceived usefulness. Healthcare professionals and developers may leverage these insights to tailor digital health interventions, potentially improving exercise habits and well-being among aging populations in Asia. Full article

While past studies have provided enough evidence to show consumer attitude as a key predictor of the adoption and continuous usage intention of wearable activity trackers (WATs), limited studies have examined the antecedents of consumers’ attitudes towards the adoption and continuous usage intention of WATs. Drawing on the health belief model and cue utilization theory, the study seeks to examine the influence of perceived severity and vulnerability as antecedents of consumers’ attitudes towards the adoption and continuous usage intention of WATs as well as the role of social media influencers (SMIs) in influencing continuous usage of WATs. Online survey data from 966 participants (M_age = 40.79, STD = 13.49) was analyzed using SPSS 29and AMOS version 29. The result shows that though perceived severity and susceptibility are key significant predictors of consumers’ attitudes towards WATs, the relationship is stronger when SMIs’ personas are used as extrinsic cues. Additionally, while perceived barriers negatively affect consumers’ attitudes towards WATs, the negative effect is neutralized through SMIs’ message framing as an extrinsic cue. Theoretically, the study provides a new insight into the interplay of perceived severity, susceptibility, SMIs’ personas, and message framing on consumers’ attitudes towards the adoption and continuous usage intention of WATs. Full article

Despite the rapid expansion of China’s RV (recreational vehicle) tourism industry, research on RV tourist behavior remains limited. This study develops an extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB) that more comprehensively explains the formation of tourists’ intentions to engage in RV tourism. The EMGB incorporates critical factors, including the perception of infection (PI), social media influence (SM), infrastructure perception (IP), and perceived advantages of drive tourism (PAD), into the original goal-directed behavior model (MGB). Results from a survey involving 545 RV tourists reveal that the EMGB achieves a satisfactory fit with the data and explains a larger proportion of variance in behavioral intentions. Notably, all variables within the original MGB remain significant predictors of both desire and intention. Furthermore, this study identifies factors such as Time and Economy capability, age, and region as significant moderators of the decision-making process for RV tourists. These findings offer valuable insights to marketers and governmental bodies, empowering them to make more reasonable decisions and devise strategies that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of RV tourists in the future. Full article

Many studies have shown that COVID-19 caused many problems in mental health. This paper presents the results of the Cyprus sample, part of the global initiative named “The Collaborative Outcomes Study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times” (COH-FIT). Methods: The study took place from April 2019 to January 2022, using the Greek version of the online standard COH-FIT questionnaire on 917 Cypriot adults. Weighted t-tests were applied to test the differences between pre-pandemic and intra-pandemic scores using the anesrake package. Results: Participant responses indicated a significant negative impact of the pandemic on measures of mental health (−7.55; 95% CI: −9.01 to −6.07), with worsening in the scores for anxiety (12.05; 95% CI: 9.33 to 14.77), well-being (−11.06; 95% CI: −12.69 to −9.45) and depression (4.60; 95% CI: 2.06 to 7.14). Similar negative effects were observed for feelings of anger (12.92; 95% CI: 10.54 to 15.29), helplessness (9.66; 95% CI: 7.25 to 12.07), fear (22.25; 95% CI: 19.25 to 25.26), and loneliness (12.52; 95% CI: 9.94 to15.11). Increased use of social media (0.89; 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.09), internet (0.86; 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.04), and substance consumption (0.06; 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.11) were reported, along with a significant decrease in physical health (−3.45; 95% CI: −4.59 to −2.32), self-care (−7.10; 95% CI: −9.00 to −5.20), and social function (−11.27; 95% CI: −13.19 to −9.35), including support (−0.72; 95% CI: −1.09 to −0.34) and family function (−7.97; 95% CI: −9.90 to −6.05). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the daily life and emotional well-being of Cypriots. Identifying factors that influence vulnerability and resilience is essential to prioritize mental health support and address the long-term effects of the pandemic. Full article

According to the Tripartite Influence Model, social media is one of the primary sources influencing women’s body dissatisfaction. However, the role of social media influencers as a potential driver for impacting users’ body image evaluation when disseminating content on social networks has been little investigated. The present research aims to explore the relationship between following three Instagram influencers (i.e., nutrition, fitness, and entertainment) and eating disorder (ED) symptoms and body dissatisfaction among a group of female users. A sample of 5060 women (mean age = 35.33 ± 9.33) were recruited with the collaboration of three Italian influencers, and self-reported questionnaires were administered. Women who followed the nutritional influencer account reported significantly higher scores on ED symptoms and body dissatisfaction than women who followed the fitness and entertainment influencer accounts (η² = 0.05 and η² = 0.02, respectively). Overall, following nutrition and fitness accounts (compared to entertainment accounts) and spending more time daily on social networks positively predicts ED symptoms (β = 0.28, p < 0.001, β = 0.10, p < 0.001, β = 0.11, p < 0.001, respectively) and body dissatisfaction (β = 0.07, p < 0.001, β = 0.04, p < 0.001, β = 0.07, p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, following nutritional influencers compared to fitness influencers positively predicts ED symptoms (β = 0.17, p < 0.001) but not body dissatisfaction. The current results suggest that being exposed to dieting and weight loss topics on social media might be particularly harmful for individuals with specific vulnerabilities. Practical implications will be discussed. Full article

This study examined the association between media and Instagram interaction patterns with weight bias among undergraduate nutrition students in the Brazilian Nutritionists’ Health Study. We also explored the potential mediating role of students’ own body image perception in these relationships. A total of 406 students (78% women) participated in this cross-sectional analysis. Sociodemographic data, media influence, Instagram interaction patterns, body image perception, and weight bias were assessed using semi-structured questionnaires. Findings indicated that exposure to fitness content on Instagram (β = 0.17, p < 0.001) and the pursuit of an ideal athletic body (β = 0.12, p = 0.034) were associated with increased weight bias. In contrast, engagement with body diversity content (β = −0.23, p < 0.001) and perceived pressure from media to conform to appearance ideals (β = −0.24, p < 0.001) had a mitigating effect on weight bias. Notably, body image perception did not mediate these relationships (p > 0.05). In conclusion, this study revealed a link between media exposure and weight bias among undergraduate nutrition students, independent of their body image perception. Developing social media literacy programs that encourage students to critically evaluate media content is imperative to reduce weight bias. Additionally, a deeper examination of the media content that contributes to weight bias and the potential need for targeted regulatory measures is warranted. Full article

Background: Violence against each other via social media has increased and caused cyberbullying that can happen anytime through electronic communication tools that everyone can access easily. Cyberbullying is sending, posting, and sharing negative, harmful, and false information about another, causing embarrassment online on social media. Objectives: This study aims to investigate causal factors contributing to youth cyberbullying in Thailand’s deep south. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 340 youths in Thailand’s deep south, consisting of 220 males and 120 females. The subjects were divided by age range: 22–23 years old (40.6%), 24–25 years old (26.8%), 18–19 years old (17.1%), and 18–19 years old (15.5%). The data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The results were that the model of the causal factors resulting in youth cyberbullying in the deep south of Thailand was consistent with the empirical data (the relative chi-square (χ²/df) was 1.77). The goodness-of-fit index (GFI) was 0.95. The root-mean-square error of approximate (RMSEA) was 0.049). Cyberbullying was positively influenced directly and indirectly by negative upbringing, the influence of personal violence, and the influence of media violence at a statistically significant level of 0.001, with total effect sizes of 1.13, 0.74, and 0.64, respectively. Additionally, cyberbullying was positively influenced directly by negative mental traits with a statistically significant level of 0.05 and a total effect size of 0.17. Conclusions: This study suggests that the results could be beneficial in concretely forming policies and strategies to prevent and mitigate the problem of youth cyberbullying. Full article

Studies on rural transformation in the context of urbanization have always analyzed it from a single linear perspective, either top-down or bottom-up. This leads to simplistic generalizations of rural transformation models and the standardization of policy implementation. Based on the TPSN analytical framework, this study adds the temporality dimension to form a more comprehensive TPSNT framework. This paper explores the complex construction of rural space in rural transformation from the five dimensions of “territory, place, scale, network and temporality“ and takes the urban village, Hongren, in Kunming City, China, as a case study to analyze the specific transformation process of a village. The research revealed the following: First, in the face of land loss caused by government land acquisition, traditional rural autonomous organizations that have been hidden under the modern governance system have been revived under the influence of traditional elites and completed bottom-up territorialization by using some “maneuver spaces “to form a spatial base for negotiation with the government. Second, the cohesion of traditional rural autonomous organizations has increased during this process, and with the help of mobile capital such as media and personal connections, they have developed social networks that transcend the spatial boundaries of villages. Third, these newly constructed social networks are used to carry out various political strategies at various scales and finally negotiated with the government to rewrite the planning plan so that the village can continue to develop and integrate into the city. Finally, the analysis of the temporal dimensions of Hongren village revealed that even within the same village, changes in the other four dimensions develop dynamically, and rural transformation is an ongoing process. Therefore, when the government deals with rural issues in the process of urbanization, it should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Unified policy implementation standards will have an irreversible negative impact on rural autonomous organizations. Full article

In the evolving landscape of the building sector, the digital sphere is reshaping consumer engagement and purchase behaviors, especially in the sustainability-focused niche of fitness facilities. Utilizing the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and elaboration likelihood model (ELM), this study examines the impact of social media influence (SMI) on purchasing intentions for sustainable fitness services (PISFS) through the mediating role of green building consumption perceptions (GBCPs) and the moderating effect of environmental awareness (EA). To examine the proposed relationships and achieve the objectives of the study, 672 valid responses were collected from professionals and customers in fitness services in Turkey and analyzed using Smart PLS 4. The results of the data analysis revealed that SMI positively impacts PISFS, SMI positively impacts GBCP, GBCP positively impacts PISFS, GBCP plays an effective mediation role between SMI and PISFS, the influence of social media on purchasing intentions for sustainable fitness services is further enhanced at high levels of environmental awareness, and the impact of social media on green building consumption perceptions is further strengthened at higher levels of environmental awareness. This study’s insights call for the building sector, particularly in sustainable fitness facilities, to actively integrate social media strategies and environmental awareness into their marketing and design. Emphasizing green building attributes on digital platforms can significantly influence consumer choices, steering the industry toward a more environmentally conscious and digitally engaged future. Full article

Social media fitness influencers are driving the maturation of online fitness, which is especially significant in the current era of globally decreasing levels of physical activity. However, there is a paucity of research on online fitness videos, and the mechanism of influence of fitness videos on exercise intention is not well understood. Therefore, based on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) theoretical framework, this study extends the source credibility theory to the field of fitness and adds an examination of the content quality and electronic word-of-mouth of fitness videos to explore how fitness videos motivate users to participate in physical exercise. Through an online survey, 367 valid samples were collected and validated using a structural equation model. The results showed that the three elements contained in source credibility theory have inconsistent importance in the fitness field, with trustworthiness being the most important, followed by attractiveness, and the influence of expertise is not significant. In summary, the attributes of social media fitness influencers, including trustworthiness and physical attractiveness, as well as the content quality and electronic word-of-mouth of their fitness videos, may lead to viewers’ trust and perception of the usefulness of the videos and, furthermore, lead to exercise intention. Full article

Amidst the abundance of skincare options, the process of identifying the most fitting products is a daunting task. This challenge is further intensified when brands frequently lack transparency concerning their environment-friendly characteristics, fostering skepticism among consumers or potential adopters. As a result, to resolve the problem of consumers’ mixed emotions towards skincare brands, it is necessary to understand how greenwashing, green skepticism with two moderators (information quality and brand reputation) shape consumers’ intentions. Drawing on a theoretical conceptual model rooted in the consumer behavior literature, the present investigation tested the hypotheses through cross-sectional survey research. Using convenience sampling, 441 participants were recruited through social media platforms and skincare-related forums. This study establishes the mediating role of green skepticism and the direct impact of greenwashing on consumers’ purchase intentions. Consequently, the statistical significance of the path coefficients provide empirical support for the influence of greenwashing and green skepticism on consumers’ intentions. Our research contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable consumption, offering theoretical advancements and practical implications for the researchers, policymakers, and businesses involved in the Saudi Arabian skincare market. Full article