Redes sociais e autoestima: uma revisão integrativa da literatura

Abstract

Social media has become a structuring presence in the daily lives of young adults, and so has the evidence that these platforms affect how people see themselves. This integrative review examined how social media shapes self-esteem and body image among young adults by intensifying social comparison processes. Fourteen studies were selected from PubMed (2020–2026) using an adapted PICO framework and PRISMA guidelines. The analysis was organized around five themes: digital ecosystem and usage patterns; aesthetic standards from the thin ideal to the athletic ideal; psychological mediation through social comparison; self-esteem and body image formation; and pathological outcomes. Findings show that heavy platform use exposes 6 young adults to body ideals combining thinness with muscular definition, triggering predominantly upward comparisons that erode positive self-perception. Self-esteem becomes tied to external validation metrics — likes, followers, and comments — weakening internal standards of personal worth. When this cycle goes unchecked, outcomes include elevated risk of eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, and problematic platform use. A growing male vulnerability linked to the athletic ideal was identified, though women remain the group most severely affected by online social comparison. The evidence points to digital platform impacts that extend well beyond the screen, directly disrupting the stability of young adults' self-concept. Effective interventions need to address both platform architecture and the subjective processes it shapes.