Social Appearance Anxiety, Perfectionism, and Fear of Negative Evaluation: Distinct or Shared Risk Factors for Social Anxiety and Eating Disorders?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-12-2013

Publication Title

Appetite

Volume

67

First page number:

125

Last page number:

133

Abstract

Social anxiety and eating disorders are highly comorbid. Social appearance anxiety (i.e., fear of negative evaluation of one’s appearance), general fear of negative evaluation, and perfectionism have each been proposed as risk factors for both social anxiety disorder and the eating disorders. However, no research to date has examined all three factors simultaneously. Using structural equation modeling in two diverse samples (N = 236; N = 136) we tested a model in which each of these risk factors were uniquely associated with social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. We found support for social appearance anxiety as a shared risk factor between social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms, whereas fear of negative evaluation was a risk factor only for social anxiety symptoms. Despite significant zero-order relationships, two facets of perfectionism (high standards and maladaptive perfectionism) did not emerge as a risk factor for either disorder when all constructs were considered. These results were maintained when gender, body mass index, trait negative affect, and depression were included in the model. It is possible that treating negative appearance evaluation fears may reduce both eating disorder and social anxiety symptoms.

Keywords

Social anxiety; Social appearance anxiety; PerfectionismFear of negative evaluation; Structural equation modeling; Eating disorders

Disciplines

Social Psychology

Language

English

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