A brief mindfulness meditation can ameliorate the effects of exposure to idealised social media images on self-esteem, mood, and body appreciation in young women: An online randomised controlled experiment.
R. Hooper, E. Guest, C. Ramsey-Wade, A. Slater
Body image March 15, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101702 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 162 |
| Population | Women aged 18-42 years (M = 25.94, SD = 4.38) |
| Interventions | Mindfulness meditation Control audio about jujitsu |
| Duration | 10-minute intervention, with measurements at baseline, post-exposure, and immediately post-intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Exposure to thinspiration and fitspiration images lowered body appreciation, self-esteem, and positive mood and raised negative mood in both groups. A ten-minute mindfulness meditation, compared with a control audio, led to higher self-esteem, body appreciation, and mood immediately afterward, indicating a brief practice can ameliorate these negative effects. |
Abstract
The study examined whether a 10-minute mindfulness meditation intervention could ameliorate effects of exposure to social media thinspiration and fitspiration images on women's self-esteem, mood, and body appreciation. A total of 162 women aged 18-42 years (M = 25.94, SD = 4.38) completed an online experiment which involved viewing thinspiration and fitspiration images before random allocation to either a brief, ten-minute mindfulness meditation audio intervention or a ten-minute control audio about jujitsu. Participants completed self-reported measures of self-esteem, positive and negative mood, and body appreciation at baseline (Time 1), post-exposure to idealised social media images (Time 2), and immediately post-intervention (Time 3). Mixed, repeated-measures ANOVAs showed that scores were lower for body appreciation, self-esteem, and positive mood, and higher for negative mood, in both groups after exposure to idealised imagery. However, a brief mindfulness intervention ameliorated the negative effects of social media exposure. Specifically, self-esteem, body appreciation, and mood were higher in the mindfulness meditation group at Time 3, compared to the control group. Future interventions should explore the utility of mindfulness practices to provide long term buffering effects against such social media content, as well as targeting the idealisation of female physiques portrayed in thinspiration and fitspiration content.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Trance practice and well-being measures: the case of Auto-Induced Cognitive Trance medRxiv July 17, 2026
- Is digital detox and mindfulness a game-changing combination for Instagram use and body image outcomes? Results from an experimental intervention study. Body image October 17, 2026
- Brief Mindfulness Meditation Protects Chinese Young Women's Body Image from Appearance-Focused Social Media Exposure: An Online Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthcare January 4, 2026
- Virtual reality enhanced mindfulness and yoga intervention for postpartum depression and anxiety in the post COVID era Scientific Reports April 6, 2025
- Virtual reality vs. imagery: comparing approaches in guided meditation Frontiers in Psychology November 25, 2024
Cites 7
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Effects of Brief and Sham Mindfulness Meditation on Mood and Cardiovascular Variables The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine July 28, 2010
- Brief Mindfulness Meditation Improves Emotion Processing Frontiers in Neuroscience October 10, 2019
- Emotional clarity and attention to emotions in cognitive behavioral group therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction for social anxiety disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders April 2018
and 2 more in the library