Abstract: Body dissatisfaction, an unpleasant emotional experience related to one's own body, is prevalent among adolescents. The use of social networking sites is considered a risk factor. Scholars from different countries have initiated investigations on the influence of social networking site use on body dissatisfaction in adolescents through empirical studies. Although some theoretical and empirical findings have been obtained, they are fragmented, impeding a comprehensive understanding of research progress in this area. Building upon prior studies, we aim to present a thorough overview of how social networking site use influences body dissatisfaction in adolescents while also examining the underlying mechanisms. This study assists future researchers in gaining a precise and rapid understanding of the impact of social networking site use on adolescents' body dissatisfaction. Additionally, it offers theoretical guidance and recommendations to reduce adolescents' body dissatisfaction and enhance their mental health and subjective well-being.
Initially, we conducted a structural summary of the association between various levels of social networking site use and adolescents' body dissatisfaction. The extent, mode, behavior, and motivation related to social networking site use may influence adolescents' body dissatisfaction. Specifically, the extent of social networking site use was defined as the duration, frequency, and intensity. The mode of social networking site use encompasses active and passive engagement. Behaviors linked to social networking site use included body talk and selfie-related activities. Motivations for social networking site use included seeking appearance-related feedback, fashion-focused incentives, and others.
Building on this foundation, we investigated three pathways through which the use of social networking sites influences adolescents' body dissatisfaction within the framework of established theories. The first pathway entails comparing appearance and internalizing the ideal body, as posited by the tripartite influence model. The second pathway involves the development of self-objectification and body surveillance, as suggested by objectification theory. The third pathway encompasses appearance self-schema and appearance self-discrepancy, rooted in self-schema theory and self-discrepancy theory.
We then further elucidated three categories of moderators of the effects of social networking site use on adolescents' body dissatisfaction. The first category encompasses personality factors, including the Big Five personality traits, narcissism, and perfectionism, which are primarily associated with an individual's personality traits and psychological structure. The second category includes self-cognitive factors such as self-compassion and self-concept clarity, mainly related to an individual's inner emotions and self-awareness. The third category consists of media-cognitive factors such as social media literacy and appearance-related social media consciousness, primarily linked to an individual's use of social networking platforms and their attitudes toward social networking content.
Furthermore, in conjunction with the findings above, we constructed an integrative model of how social networking site use affects adolescents' body dissatisfaction. The model seeks to elucidate the mechanisms of action and boundary conditions of social networking sites affecting adolescents' body dissatisfaction. It also aims to provide a systematic framework for researchers in the field to advance the prevention and intervention of adolescents' body dissatisfaction.
In conclusion, the article provides valuable suggestions and reference directions for future research. For example, future research should focus on exploring the relationship between social networking site use and body dissatisfaction in China, expanding the scope of research to include various aspects such as research subjects, methods, and content, and further validating and simplifying the theoretical framework, which will help in developing more effective online intervention programs to address adolescents' body dissatisfaction.

Key words: body dissatisfaction, social networking sites, adolescents