Influência do TikTok na imagem corporal das adolescentes portuguesas

Abstract

Due to its great success in a short space of time, TikTok has become the SNS of choice among young people. In fact, the age group that uses this short-video app the most is teenage girls. It is therefore crucial to explore the influence of TikTok during such a vulnerable period of development, especially for females. This research therefore aims to understand how the recent phenomenon of TikTok impacts the perceptions and constructions of body image of Portuguese teenage girls. Therefore, during the theoretical framework, in addition to analyzing in detail the definition of body image, as well as its perceptions and constructions in SNSs, we also aimed to understand its correlation with self-esteem and beauty ideals. In turn, understanding the uses of the short-video application, its respective benefits and risks, as well as how teenage girls perceive their images and represent themselves on TikTok, specifically, were the objectives of this research. Consequently, the qualitative method was used, combining semi-structured interviews with a content analysis of the videos posted by 10 female teenagers aged between 15 and 18. The results obtained prove the frequent use of this short-video application among teenage girls, as well as less harmful effects on their body satisfaction and self-esteem when compared to other SNSs. It also shows that although TikTok still corroborates ideas of beauty, it appears to be the first SNS where teenage girls dare to represent themselves in more authentic ways.

Date of Award	20 Dec 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Dias (Supervisor)