METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 300 young adult women from Romania with mean age of 22.19 years (SD = 2.07) and who possessed an Instagram account were asked to complete an online survey consisting of measures of dysmorphic concerns, Instagram addiction, and appearance-based rejection sensitivity.
RESULTS: Correlational analyses revealed that all three variables were positively and moderately inter-correlated. Mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that appearance-based rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns.
CONCLUSIONS: Implications of this study are discussed in terms of the urgency of prevention and intervention strategies, especially given the link between dysmorphic concerns and more extreme manifestations of severity, such as body dysmorphic disorder.