Deborah Howell (Host): The formation of body image in teenagers and the impact of peer pressure and social media all play a huge part in your teen's self-esteem. Our guest today, Dr. Amy Morse, a board-certified psychologist in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital and the Guidance Center, will share valuable tips for parents and caregivers on how to support teens in developing a healthy self-esteem. And welcome back, Dr. Morse.

Amy Morse: Thanks for having me.

Host: Always, always a pleasure to have you. Can you explain to us how adolescents and teenagers typically form their body image and what factors play the most significant roles in that process?

Amy Morse: Yes, children and teens are influenced by their environment. Children develop an understanding about what's socially acceptable based upon what they see and hear. For teens, this is even more pronounced. As individuals go through puberty, their bodies change in ways that may be different from their peers. And these changes can be difficult for teens who develop negative comparisons with images on social media.

Host: Yes. And just hovering over everything these days is social media. So, how does social media influence teenagers' perceptions of their bodies, and what are some examples of both positive and negative impacts?

Amy Morse: Teens with positive body image are more likely to filter or disregard negative appearance comparisons online. They may look at an image on social media and think, "Ah, they look great," or" Maybe that was generated by AI." But at other times, teens relate social favorability on media platforms with attractiveness. And the more likes a post has, the more teens perceive that an individual is attractive. So, you could appreciate this can lead teens to want to look like the individual in the post. Even when the teens understand that an image on social media was edited, they still impact their perceptions of that ideal body.

And, you know, I don't know about you, but I've talked with teens who refer to needing to get the summer body or saying things like, "I'll never get my body to look like that" in reference to a social media post, right? So despite this understanding that the photos have been edited or it may be AI, they still have this negative thinking and these appearance comparisons.

Host: And the filters, and the quest for perfection is just pervasive.

Amy Morse: It really is.

Host: So, how can parents address issues like comparison and body image and validation that often come up with social media use?

Amy Morse: Parents and schools can have a big positive impact on youth perceptions of body image and social media. So first and foremost, it's important to talk about normal growth and development and changes in our bodies and have those conversations starting when kids are young. You know, caregivers and pediatricians can have ongoing discussions when kids are nine or ten about body changes and puberty. And in doing so, they can send messages of health and body positivity. It's equally important to emphasize a healthy body, balanced nutrition and exercise.

And secondly, parents can teach kids about the impact of social media on body image. So by helping them have more social media literacy and critiquing images they see on social media, they can begin to have more positive regard for their body shape and the shape of others.

Host: We wish that for all of our kids. Kids just to know they're unique. They're not going to identify by looking and becoming someone else or trying to. So, just live in your own self and feel good about it. And it sounds like such an easy thing to do, but it's so difficult for our teens. So, what are some signs that a teenager might be struggling with their body image due to social media or even just peer pressure?

Amy Morse: Well, so I think you can appreciate body dissatisfaction is related to self-esteem and children and teens who exhibit greater self-criticism or parents might notice that those individuals are making more negative comments about their body and the bodies of others. Or even kids who may withdraw from in-person social situations, because they may be fearful about the way they look or struggling with body dissatisfaction are all important things for caregivers to be on the lookout for.

Studies have shown that teens are more negatively influenced by images of peers on social media even than celebrities. So, it's important that a teen's social media feed, while it includes all kinds of things like peers and celebrities, is discussed with caregivers, so they can continue to have conversations about how peers are filtering the experience, how they are using their social media literacy, and continuing to think critically about the information that they're absorbing.

Host: Sure. And how can parents and caregivers support teens in developing a healthy self-esteem and positive body image?

Amy Morse: Well, this is the tall order, but first and foremost, it's modeling healthy habits for your children, prioritizing physical and mental health, and that means parents engaging in the exercise and being thoughtful about balanced nutrition and mental health. It's also important for children of all ages to be engaged in family routines and rituals to increase predictability and stability at home for kids and teens, to know that their home is a safe place, and to encourage kids and teens to develop healthy social relationships in person with peers and adults. You know, kids and teens can talk about having all kinds of friends online, and it is really important that caregivers make sure that those social relationships are balanced with in-person contact and what happens online.

And, you know, the last thing I'll say is to help kids get involved in their community. Helping others is one of the best ways that caregivers can cultivate empathy and gratitude.

Host: I absolutely love it. Yeah, well said. Are there any specific social media habits that parents should encourage or maybe discourage to promote a healthier body image in their teens?

Amy Morse: I believe so those conversations that parents have with teens about their mood when they're on their phone or on social media is really important. We do understand, and I mentioned there's this sense that what is on social media is permanent. And there's the likes and the dislikes. So, social media is really like a social reward.

So, caregivers helping kids recognize they might be more grumpy, their mood might decrease when they're looking at likes of a peer, is important to pay attention to. And then, for caregivers to talk about taking some breaks, right? Respond to where you are with your mood. Have family guidelines about screen time and setting limits for screen time is also really important, particularly for kids that are struggling with the development of self-control.

And lastly, talking about online safety, what information kids and teens are putting out there and where their data is possibly going. Helping kids and teens understand how their data can be used and how they can protect themselves is equally important.

Host: it's really important that your child not doom scroll well into the hours of the morning when they should be sleeping and getting healthy through sleep.

Amy Morse: And getting the reward from the sleep.

Host: That's right, that's right. I want to backtrack just a little bit, because I want to ask you how can parents and caregivers have open and supportive conversations with their teens about body image and self-esteem?

Amy Morse: Such an important question. Caregivers can and should talk with kids about healthy growth and development at a young age and model respectful language when they are talking about body shape and size. And in doing so, caregivers can teach kids that they have a healthy body and that their body is accepted and loved.

There are wonderful children's books that are out there that help to model body positivity and healthy language. And also, caregivers can get kids engaged in activities that build confidence and help foster positive peer relationships. So, that two-pronged approach of helping kids understand that health and health and all sizes is loved, and that they can build their self-esteem through activities with peers is important.

Host: That is great advice, and especially the books that are out that you mentioned. Oh, they can be so powerful because. They see it, they read it, it gets imprinted in their brain, and sometimes they go back to it because they enjoy it. Really great tool. What practical advice can be offered to teenagers themselves who may be struggling with body image issues in a social media-heavy world?

Amy Morse: So, the first thing I'll say is for teens to be intentional about how they spend their time. It's important that they balance in-person time with friends and family, and participation in things that I call mood-boosting activities. So, stuff that they just really love that brings them joy, and doing those things balanced with screen time.

It's also important for teens to recognize that their mood makes a difference in the way that they think and the things that they do. You know, we are all more likely to focus on negative thoughts and comparisons of others when we're feeling down on ourselves and we're feeling more grumpy. We all get into our own version of doom scrolling when our mood is a little bit low. So, paying attention to our mood and our behavior is important.

And I'll also say continuing to develop social media literacy, right? Knowing how to identify what information has been edited to gain more social favorability and talking about it with others. Learning from others is an important part of how teens can continue to work through some of the challenges they may experience.

Host: I think the thread that keeps running through this is in-person contact and real friendships in real life.

Amy Morse: That's right. The more we can do in person to get connected with one another and to support a broader community is what's so important.

Host: Before we wrap up, Dr. Morse, is there anything you'd like to add?

Amy Morse: I just want to share with teens and kids that, they've got lots of things to be excited about and to look forward to in our changing world, and continue to talk with your friends and your family members about the things that you're really passionate and excited about. Use that as a way to build your confidence and your self-esteem, because at the end of the day, there's only one of you.

Host: Ain't that the truth? Thanks so much, Dr. Morse, for your time and expertise today. We really enjoyed having you on the podcast,

Amy Morse: Thanks for having me.

Host: And you and your family can learn more about how to navigate the impact of social media on children and teens by visiting millerchildrens.org/mental health. That's all for this time. I'm Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.