How Body Image Cyberbullying Impacts the Brain of Teenage Girls

Recent research conducted by the University of the Sunshine Coast has uncovered how body image-related cyberbullying influences the neural activity in adolescent girls' brains. This pioneering study, the first of its kind in Australia, utilized functional MRI technology to observe the brain responses of girls aged 14 to 18 when exposed to social media comments targeting body weight, shape, or size.

Lead researcher Taliah Prince, a Ph.D. candidate at UniSC's Thompson Institute, explained that the investigation revealed significant activation in brain regions associated with emotional regulation, visual processing, and social cognition. Notably, girls who experienced recent cyberbullying showed heightened responses in areas linked to memory and visual attention, which may indicate that they were reliving past bullying incidents.

Conversely, girls who did not exhibit body dissatisfaction demonstrated increased activity in brain regions responsible for reward and emotion regulation, suggesting a potential protective neural mechanism.

The study's findings reveal that 61% of participants had experienced cyberbullying recently, and over 90% had encountered it previously, with more than 30% reporting dissatisfaction with their body image.

This research also explored the impact on bystanders, highlighting that exposure to cyberbullying could contribute to body dissatisfaction among adolescents. The findings underscore the neurological effects of appearance-focused cyberbullying, which is the most common form among adolescent girls.

Previous studies indicated that 96% of victims wanted to change their appearance, and 81% considered cosmetic procedures. The current research expands this knowledge by illustrating that cyberbullying affects brain responses as well as psychological well-being.

Given the developmental vulnerability during adolescence, especially for girls forming their self-identity and social understanding, the study emphasizes the importance of promoting body positivity and digital literacy. It calls for ongoing discussions about social media's role and whether stricter regulations are necessary to shield young users from harmful interactions.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-body-image-bullying-affects-teenage.html