The Relationship Between Appearance Anxiety and Internet Addiction among College Students

Abstract

The increasing commonness of internet addiction has raised concerns about its psychological effects, particularly its association with social anxiety. Individuals experiencing social anxiety frequently rely on excessive internet usage as a means of avoiding real-world social interactions, which, in turn, increases their dependence on digital platforms. Internet addiction, characterized by excessive and compulsive internet use leading to negative consequences, has become a growing concern among young adults. While Appearance anxiety refers to the fear or apprehension of being judged or evaluated based on one’s physical appearance, is also a recurring issue among college students. This study investigates the correlation between internet addiction and appearance anxiety in a sample of male and female college students, A quantitative approach was employed, using the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI) to collect data from 126 participants, consisting of 80 females and 46 male college students. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between internet addiction and appearance anxiety in both males (r = 0.43127, p = 0.00276) and females (r = 0.519003, p = 8.13E-07), with a stronger correlation observed in females. These findings suggest that excessive internet use may contribute to increased appearance anxiety, particularly in females. This study contributes to our understanding of the psychological effects of internet addiction and has implications for the development of interventions targeting appearance anxiety and internet use.