LGBTQIA+ SCHOLAR SERIES: "THE WAY THAT WE SURVIVE IS TO BE CONNECTED": SOCIAL MEDIA AND EATING DISORDERS RISK AMONG LGBTQ+ YOUNG ADULTS

LGBTQ+ young adults experience elevated risk of eating disorder symptoms compared to non-LGBTQ+ peers. Drivers of this excess risk may include social stressors (e.g., anti-LGBTQ policies, interpersonal stigma), barriers to gender affirming healthcare, and the intersection of these factors with sociocultural appearance ideals (e.g., thinness, muscularity) and pervasive marketing of appearance-related products (e.g., diet, weight loss, muscle-building products). Social media has often been described as a double-edged sword for LGBTQ+ young people: it may heighten exposure to risk factors for eating disorders, while also providing vital resources and social support that can improve mental health and wellbeing. However, research remains limited on how LGBTQ+ young adults navigate both the joys and challenges of social media and implications for eating disorders risk. This talk will share recent research employing both quantitative and qualitative methods to: (a) explore the associations between social media experiences and eating disorder risk, (b) highlight the strengths and strategies LGBTQ+ young adults are using to protect wellbeing in social media spaces, and (c) point to future directions for social media research and multi-level interventions to reduce eating disorders risk for LGBTQ+ young people.