O uso do TikTok pelos adolescentes do sexo masculino

: imagem corporal e autoestima

Abstract

During adolescence, teenagers build their own identity. In this process, they are susceptible to peers, family and media influences. According to previous studies, social media affects the perception that adolescents have of their body image and on their self-esteem. This study focuses on TikTok, one of the most popular digital platforms. Its trends and algorithm can play an important role in the effect that videos can have, as they can lead to the constant appearance of positive or negative content. Additionally, this study aims to explore whether body image and self-esteem are affected by the use of the platform and in what ways, focusing on male adolescents, a group that has been scarcely studied. A qualitative methodology with an exploratory nature was used, as there is a lack of previous studies relating to the presented topics. The study sample was non-probabilistic, due to convenience and snowball, with 30 interviewed participants, 15 of which were adolescents in the pre-adolescent phase (10-14 years old) and 15 older adolescents (15-19 years old). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant, with a script preelaborated by the author. Afterwards, the transcripts were transcribed, followed by the analysis and discussion of the results, which was carried out through a thematic analysis. According to the acquired results, it was possible to observe that TikTok can have both positive and negative consequences for the self-perception of the body image of young men and for their self-esteem, although many of them claiming there being no influence. With regard to body image, there was an increase in body vigilance as well as changes in sports practices and eating habits among adolescents. As for self-esteem, it was observed that the negative impact came essentially from the time spent on the platform, and that the positive impact was essentially centered on observing content that the teenager identified with and the opportunities that the platform provided. These results differ from previous studies with female adolescents, which highlights the importance of investigating the male perspective. These findings differ from previous studies focusing on the female adolescents, thus stressing the relevance of investigating the male perspective.

Date of Award	24 Nov 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Dias (Supervisor)