The purpose of this scientific study was to investigate how young girls in Lerum municipality are affected by the beauty standards that exist on social media. Through my high school project, I also aim to educate more people about this topic, as it receives very little attention despite being a significant problem that contributes to high levels of unhealthy behavior among young girls in today’s society.

I have chosen to conduct my work from a macro perspective, which means that I interview people in different focus groups. One of my focus groups consisted of 15-year-olds, while the other consisted of 18-19 year-olds. Through group interviews, I find that the interviews become more in-depth, which is why it was an obvious choice. This is a qualitative method to provide people with more understanding and knowledge about the subject. My high school project also consists largely of various studies and research on the topic, including from neuroscientists.

The results of my interviews turned out to be consistent with the previous research I had read, which was a very exciting and interesting discovery. I also had a theory of my own that the impact of beauty ideals decreases with age. I believe that the older one gets, the less one is affected. Based on my studies, I was able to confirm this, which was very interesting and exciting.

The mental health issues caused by beauty ideals are significant, particularly among young girls. Anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide are unfortunately common consequences. There is some research on the subject that highlights the impact of time. That is, those who spend more time on social media are most affected by constant beauty ideals, which is consistent with my results. However, much more research on the subject is needed, as well as greater awareness of society, which I hope to contribute to with my work.