The Relationship Between Anger Expression, Body Image and Eating Attitudes in Social Anxiety Disorder

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate both the prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) and itsassociation of trait anger and anger expression, eating attitudes and body perceptions in university students having the said disorder. Method: One thousand students from Cumhuriyet University were included in the study. During the initial stage, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) and socio-demographic data form were administered to the students. Those obtaining 30 points or more in LSAS were called for a psychiatric interview. The students diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (n=87) and the control group (n=87) were administered Eating Attitude Test (EAT), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) and The State Trait Anger Scale (STAXI). Results: The point prevalence of social anxiety disorder was found to be 9.4% in those attending the study. Trait anger, anger-in and anger out scores were statistically significantly higher; anger control and multidimensional body-self relations scale points were statistically lower at the SAB group when compared to the control group. The MBSRQ scores correlated negatively, while the EAT scores correlated positively, with anger-in scores in students with SAD. Conclusion: SAD is a common disorder in university students. Our study, showed that repressed anger could adversely affect body image and eating behaviors in SAD. In students having social anxiety disorder, approaches aiming at appropriate anger expression and positive body perception may yield positive results to treatment in students with SAD.