Student Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
Spring 5-21-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
B.A.
Honors Designation
yes
Program of Study
Psychology
Language
English
First Advisor
Angela M. Pinto
Second Advisor
Christopher B. Stults
Third Advisor
Theodore A. Henken
Abstract
Social media (SM) platforms are popular mediums for entertainment and connection among young adults, and the companies behind these platforms have intentionally designed and implemented features to enhance user engagement. Research has identified a negative relationship between SM use and mental health outcomes but few studies have tested SM literacy interventions to reduce the impact of SM use on these outcomes. To extend the literature on SM literacy interventions, this study sought to investigate the impact of a digitally-delivered SM literacy intervention on appearance satisfaction, life satisfaction, and affect. Participants were 125 students (MAge = 20.50; SD = 2.79; 62.4% female; and 91.2% non-White) recruited from the Baruch College SONA participant pool and were randomly assigned to a digital SM literacy or control intervention. Participants in both groups received intervention materials and responded to daily assessments twice per day (morning and evening) for 5 days. Results of mixed model analyses of variance were non-significant, indicating no evidence that the SM literacy intervention improved appearance satisfaction, life satisfaction, or affect relative to the control intervention. Strengths and limitations of this study are discussed, particularly with respect to considerations for future SM literacy intervention research.
Recommended Citation
Lai, Jennifer, "Investigating the Impact of a Social Media Literacy Intervention on Appearance Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction, and Affect" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/bb_etds/206
