This study investigated the influence of appearance-contingent self-worth on disordered eating by integrating both intrapersonal and environmental factors among young adult women. Specifically, this study examined not only the sequential mediating effects of appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction, but also the moderated sequential mediation effects of appearance-related short-form media use characteristics. Using the PROCESS Macro with a sample of 379 women in their twenties, the results showed that appearance-contingent self-worth predicted disordered eating through a sequential mediation by appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction. However, in the sequential mediation model, the direct effect of appearance-contingent self-worth on body dissatisfaction was not statistically significant. Moderation analyses revealed that the proportion of appearance-related content and user engagement (likes, comments, saving) in recently viewed short-form videos significantly strengthened these mediating pathways, whereas the proportion of videos featuring subjectively perceived attractive bodies did not show a significant moderating effect. This study offers a comprehensive perspective on how appearance-contingent self-worth influences disordered eating through appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction, and provides empirical evidence on the moderating role of short-form content use—a new form of media. Clinical implications for the prevention of disordered eating in young adult women, study limitations, and future research were discussed.
