Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40756309›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2025

The influence of social media and cultural ideals on body dysmorphic disorder among adult males in the UAE.

Kholod Haj Hussain, Abdul Rahman Al Midani, Mohamad Abdallah, Aisha Alyassi, Haya Alzubaidy, Shahad Alrashed, Jibran Sualeh Muhammad, Hamid A Alhaj

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kholod Haj Hussain *College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Abdul Rahman Al Midani *College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Mohamad AbdallahCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Aisha AlyassiCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Haya AlzubaidyCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Shahad AlrashedCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Jibran Sualeh MuhammadDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Hamid A AlhajCollege of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by an excessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in physical appearance, often resulting in significant emotional distress and impaired functioning. Although social influences are believed to contribute to the development of BDD, their specific impact remains underexplored, especially among males in the Middle East. This study aims to investigate the relationship between BDD symptoms and social factors, with a particular emphasis on the role of social media among adult males in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among men using a self-administered 30-item questionnaire. The instrument covered demographics, the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ), body image and cosmetic surgery attitudes, social media use, and exercise behaviors. The questionnaire was translated using a forward-backward translation technique and reviewed for clarity and cultural appropriateness in accordance with WHO guidelines. Bivariate analyses were conducted to explore associations between variables. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical variables, and t-tests for continuous variables, with statistical significance set at Results: Of the 403 participants, 53 (13.2%) met the BDDQ cutoff criteria, and 15 (3.7%) screened positive for BDD (excluding weight-related concerns). A significant association was found between BDD screening positivity and perceived negative impact of social media (χ²(2) = 19.92, Conclusions: This study highlights the significant role of social media, cultural appearance pressures, and attitudes toward cosmetic surgery in the manifestation of BDD symptoms among males in the UAE. Culturally sensitive public health initiatives should focus on promoting healthy body image and increasing awareness of BDD.

Indexed as

body dysmorphic disordercosmetic surgerymalesmuscle dysmorphiasocial media

Identifiers

PMID40756309
PMCPMC12313578

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.