Body Dissatisfaction, Body Shaming, and Social Anxiety among Married and Unmarried Pakistani Adults

Abstract

Body image concerns have become increasingly important due to their impact on psychological well-being and mental health. Body dissatisfaction has been associated with body shame and social anxiety, yet limited research has explored these relationships among married and unmarried adults in Pakistan. The present study aimed to examine the relationships among body shame, body dissatisfaction, and social anxiety, investigate the predictive role of body dissatisfaction in body shame and social anxiety, and compare married and unmarried adults on these variables. A quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational research design was employed. A total of 190 married and unmarried adults from Pakistan participated in the study through convenience sampling. Data were collected using standardized measures of body shame, body dissatisfaction, and social anxiety. Descriptive statistics, Pearson product–moment correlation, simple linear regression, and independent-samples t-tests were used to analyze the data. The findings indicated significant positive relationships among body shame, body dissatisfaction, and social anxiety. Body dissatisfaction emerged as a significant predictor of both body shame and social anxiety. Furthermore, unmarried adults reported higher levels of body shame, body dissatisfaction, and social anxiety than married adults. These findings suggest that body dissatisfaction plays a central role in body image concerns and social anxiety and that marital status may be associated with differences in appearance-related psychological experiences. The study contributes to the limited literature on body image among Pakistani adults and highlights the importance of developing culturally appropriate interventions to promote positive body image and psychological well-being.