Las redes sociales y su impacto en los adolescentes con anorexia

Abstract

Anorexia is an eating disorder that leads to individuals being underweight for their age and height, usually as a result of significant weight loss. On the other hand, social networks are virtual media that can have positive or negative meanings for adolescents. The aim of this research was to analyze the impact of social networks on adolescent girls with anorexia. The methodology used was qualitative, non-experimental and descriptive. Interviews were conducted with two participants who were the case studies and an observation guide was used to apply to each participant. The information was obtained from indexed journals and reliable academic sources. Based on the most relevant results, they point out that social networks have a direct and significant impact on female adolescents since they presented problems in cognitive distortion, serious emotional affectation, significant physical changes, an incorrect body perception, in addition to the notable dependence on technological devices, the use of social networks can be considered a risk factor triggering anorexia, specifically in adolescents who are in a vulnerable stage due to the process of confirmation and shaping of their identity. Therefore, this study also concludes that social networks do have a negative rather than a positive impact on adolescents with anorexia due to their various ways of making these adolescents perceive role models linked to thinness.