Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of social media usage dimensions on body image flexibility of female athletes with the mediating role of socio-cultural attitudes towards appearance.

Materials and Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of female athletes from sports clubs in Kermanshah, from whom three hundred and eighty people were selected through convenience sampling. Three standard questionnaires were used to collect data: socio-cultural attitudes towards appearance, social networks and media, and body image flexibility. The reliability and validity of the instruments were confirmed using Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and extracted variance mean. Data analysis was performed using two software programs: SPSS and SmartPLS.

Findings: The findings showed that the dimensions of social media use have a significant relationship with socio-cultural attitudes towards appearance and body image flexibility. Also, socio-cultural attitudes towards appearance showed a significant relationship with body image flexibility. The most important finding of the study was the confirmation of the mediating role of socio-cultural attitudes towards appearance; in other words, social media affects body image flexibility by reinforcing appearance-oriented attitudes.

Conclusion: These findings can be a basis for designing educational interventions focusing on media literacy and strengthening psychological flexibility in female athletes.