From school burnout to eating disorders: A serial mediation model of excessive social media use, thin-ideal internalization, and appearance comparison

Adolescence is a period of heightened risk for eating disorders (EDs), during which school burnout is also emerging as a major concern due to increasing educational demands. This study aimed to explore the influence of school burnout on EDs, with particular focus on the role of excessive social media use (ESMU), thin-ideal internalization, and appearance comparison. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data from 853 adolescents (Mage = 15.72, 52.1% female). The results revealed significant positive correlations between all adjacent variables in the model. Additionally, significant indirect effects of school burnout on EDs were found through three pathways: ESMU and thin-ideal internalization, ESMU and appearance comparison, and ESMU followed by thin-ideal internalization and appearance comparison. These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to prevent and mitigate adolescents' school burnout, as well as the importance of regulating their social media usage, thereby reducing the risk of EDs.