Assessment of Selfie Syndrome among the Professional Students of a Cosmopolitan City of Central India: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: A selfie is a self-portrait photograph typically taken with a digital camera or camera phone held in the hand or supported by a selfie stick. Studies suggest that there is a relationship between selfie-posting behavior and narcissism. The objectives were to assess the prevalence of selfitis or selfie syndrome in young adults aged 19-26 years and to analyze their traits and behavior regarding selfies to detect possible self-objectification, narcissism, and need for approval. Methodology: It is an observational study of study duration of 3 months done in 100 students of two colleges of Indore city. Semi-structured open questionnaire is used as a study tool. Results: Around 11% people accepted that they take selfies daily, 3% said they take selfies for attention, 31% said they had other reasons for taking selfies, self-objectification and narcissism. Overall 29% people have done something crazy to look nice for a selfie, 16% of people had negative experience with posting selfies on social media. Conclusion: The study indicated that 11% people take selfies every day, they may or may not post it on any social media, either way they are suffering from selfitis, and this is a small but significant number. 24% said they get satisfaction after posting selfies – this may indicate narcissism among people. 7% people feel insecure after taking selfies. 16% have had a negative experience with posting selfies – this indicates the objectification and narcissism. Almost half of the people included in research feel like taking selfies might become an addiction