Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Appearance Anxiety Among University Students

Abstract

Fear of negative evaluation and social appearance anxiety are increasingly relevant psychological constructs in the digital age, particularly among university students who actively engage in online self-presentation. The present study examined the relationship among fear of negative evaluation, social appearance anxiety among university students. A cross-sectional correlational design was used and a sample of 605 university students (175 males, 430 females) age ranging from 16–33 years, recruited from public and private sector universities in Pakistan. The results indicated that heightened fear of negative evaluation is associated with greater social media self-presentation anxiety among university students in Pakistani cultural context. No significant gender differences were found in relation to study variables. The findings highlight the need to develop psychological interventions and awareness programs for university students aimed to promote positive self-image. Future researches should explore some additional psychological and contextual factors that may contribute to social appearance anxiety.