Vigorexia in adolescents: association between the adonis complex and pathological use of social media
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30545/scientiamericana.2025.set-dic.2Keywords:
Vigorexia, Muscle Dysmorphia, Adolescents, Social Media, Body ImageAbstract
Introduction: Vigorexia, or the Adonis Complex, is an emerging body dysmorphic disorder characterized by a pathological concern with increasing muscle mass. Its development in adolescents may be influenced by body stereotypes promoted through social media. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of the Adonis Complex and its association with pathological social media use among adolescents from a public educational institution in Paraguay. Methodology: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted. The population consisted of 110 students from Colegio Nacional España (San Lorenzo), of whom 100 participated through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. A validated questionnaire was used to assess the disorder and the level of digital obsession with social media. Results: Showed that 44% of adolescents presented some level of the complex, with higher prevalence among males. Moderate levels were found in 40% of participants and severe levels in 4%. Among the severe cases, 50% also exhibited high digital obsession, mainly with Instagram and YouTube. Conclusion: The study concludes that there is a high prevalence of muscle dysmorphia, associated with dysfunctional social media use, highlighting the need for preventive interventions in adolescent mental health.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Fátima Beatriz Cáceres Ibarra, Silvia María Ramos Valenzuela
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