IBSC Boys' Body Image in the Age of Social Media

social media

An IBSC Online Program

March 5, 2026

   

Join Scott Griffiths for an insightful online presentation designed to navigate the complex and evolving landscape of boys’ body image in the digital age. Explore how personalized social media algorithms foster specific anxieties in young men, focusing on the rise of muscle dysmorphia and gym culture as male-specific analogues to eating disorders. Examine niche but pervasive TikTok trends to understand the pressure boys face to optimize their appearance. Learn how to build credibility with boys by understanding their language, fostering functional approaches to health, and facilitating conversations that prioritize self-worth over appearance.

Attend this interactive session online to:

  • Analyze the impact of gym culture, supplement use, and social media trends like "mewing" on male body image.
  • Understand the mechanisms of personalized social media algorithms that create exclusively male-specific communities of body image complaint.
  • Acquire the specific terminology and cultural context necessary to establish credibility and effectively engage with boys about their online worlds.
  • Develop actionable strategies to shift the focus from appearance-based validation to functional competence and physical well-being

Who Should Attend?

School leaders, educators, and staff tasked with boys' well-being who seek to understand the body image pressures facing boys and how to support them effectively

Format

The interactive session hosted on Zoom includes a 45-minute presentation, followed by 15 minutes for Q&A.

Thursday, March 5, 2026, 4:00 PM EST, 9:00 PM GMT, 11:00 PM CAT
Friday, March 6, 2026, 5:00 AM AWST, 8:00 AM AEDT, 10:00 AM NZDT
Check the time in your time zone.
60 minutes

All attendees registered for the live session also gain access to the event recording and any associated resources for 21 days after the event. Even if your schedule cannot accommodate the live event, register so you can watch the recording at your convenience.

Please note: The recording of this event is exclusively for the individual use of registered attendees. We kindly request your cooperation in maintaining the integrity of the content.

Registration

  • IBSC member rate for 1 – 3 people from the same school: US$135 per person
  • IBSC member rate for 4+ people from the same school: US$120 per person
  • IBSC nonmember rate: US$175 per person

Register before 2:00 PM EST, March 5, 2026.

Group Screening Access for IBSC Members
Interested in using this session for professional development? IBSC member schools can access the recording for group screenings at a discounted rate. Access to the recording is available for 21 days starting March 10, 2026. Contact Bruce Collins at collins@theibsc.org for more details.

IBSC member rate: US$1,500

To register for group access, choose the group screening rate option on the registration form. The group screening option includes the recording of the presentation and the Q&A. This option does not include access to the live event. One person will have access to the recording to screen it for colleagues at their member school.

Cancellation Policy
If you are unable to attend, you must cancel your registration in writing by emailing IBSC@theibsc.org by February 19, 2026. IBSC will refund 90% of registration fees if a written request is received via email by this date. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after this date. Schools seeking to register an alternate to replace a participant unable to attend should contact IBSC@theibsc.org.

Please note: Watch your email for login information on March 2, 2026. If you registered after this date, watch for login information within 24 hours.

Participation certificates: Participants present for the live online session will receive a certificate of participation within two weeks of the event.

Questions?

Please contact Bruce Collins at collins@theibsc.org.

Presenter

Scott GriffithsScott Griffiths

Scott Griffiths is an associate professor and principal research fellow in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He leads the Physical Appearance Research Team, a lab dedicated to understanding the myriad ways that physical appearance impacts lives.

Griffiths’ team investigates body image, appearance-related stigmas and discrimination such as weight stigma, appearance-enhancing substances like anabolic steroids, and appearance-enhancement strategies including cosmetic surgery. His work also focuses on appearance-related psychological disorders like eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia.

Committed to research rigor and reproducibility, Griffiths ensures all his research data, code, and materials are available on the Open Science Framework and he pre-registers his hypotheses and statistical analyses. His research has received 14 international and national awards, including the Rising Star award from the Association for Psychological Science and the Victorian Young Tall Poppy of the Year from the Australian Institute of Policy and Science.

Griffiths has received approximately $4 million in competitive research funding, including grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Medical Research Future Fund, and the World Anti-Doping Agency. He has been supported by external fellowships and scholarships since 2013. Additionally, Griffiths has designed and delivered interventions, workshops, and resources for a range of beneficiaries and health professionals, including students, educators, clinicians, policymakers, and the general public.