examining the relationship between social

Early adolescence represents a period of vast developmental changes that span across the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of an individual. Early adolescence is characterized by increases in the importance of peers (Harter, 1999), the tendency to engage in social comparison (Martin & Kennedy, 1993), and the importance of physical appearance to selfworth (Harter, 1990) - all of which can increase youth's vulnerability to negative body image (Clay, Vignoles, & Dittmar, 2005; Harter, 1999; Jones, 2001). Body image is generally defined as the degree to which individuals feel satisfied about their physical selves, which can include body shape, size, and appearance (Cash & Deagle, 1997). Further, these developmental changes all occur within a cultural context; for children in the US, that context includes heavy exposure to traditional and social media. For example, in recent years, social media use among adolescents has increased rapidly, and 92% of teens in the US (13-17) report going online daily, with 24% describing being online or on the Internet "almost constantly" (Lenhart et al., 2015). Because media consistently depicts a very specific and unrealistic body standard, this cultural context can further exacerbate early adolescents' risk of developing negative body image (McKinley & Hyde, 1996). Together, the notable developmental changes that occur during early adolescence and the ubiquitous nature of social media as a cultural phenomenon suggest it is important to examine how using social media relates to body image among early adolescents. That is the focus of the current study.