ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
This study examines the relationship between social physique anxiety, body image dissatisfaction, personality traits (extraversion and neuroticism), and self-esteem among Malaysian young adults. Using a sample of 400 participants, the research investigates how these factors interact to influence self-esteem levels, with a focus on the psychological impact of body image concerns and personality characteristics. Quantitative methods, including correlation and regression analyses, were employed to assess the relationships between these variables. The findings reveal that social physique anxiety, body image dissatisfaction, and neuroticism are significant negative predictors of self-esteem, while extraversion positively contributes to self-esteem. Social physique anxiety and body image dissatisfaction had a particularly strong negative impact, suggesting that individuals who experience anxiety about how others perceive their bodies tend to have lower self-esteem. These results highlight the need for interventions aimed at reducing body image concerns and supporting emotional stability to improve self-esteem among young adults. The study offers valuable insights into the factors that shape self-esteem in this population and provides practical implications for mental health programs targeting body image and personality-related challenges.
Costa, P. T., McCrae, R. R., & Löckenhoff, C. E. (2019). Personality across the life span. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 423-448.
Dakanalis, A., Zanetti, M. A., Riva, G., & Clerici, M. (2020). Social media and body dissatisfaction: Investigating the mediating effects of appearance comparison and body surveillance. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(9), 596-603.
Davison, T. E., Ng, K. W., & Tam, V. M. (2021). Body image dissatisfaction and its impact on disordered eating behaviors in young adults. Journal of Health Psychology, 26(2), 287-299.
Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 1-5.
Grabe, S., Ward, L. M., & Hyde, J. S. (2018). The role of the media in body image concerns among women: A meta-analysis of experimental and correlational studies. Psychological Bulletin, 134(3), 460-476.
Holland, G., & Tiggemann, M. (2020). “Strong girls”: The effect of an appearance-focused internet game on body image and self-objectification. Body Image, 32, 41-50.
McCabe, K. O., Oltmanns, T. F., & Widiger, T. A. (2020). Extraversion as a predictor of social competence in young adults. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 118(1), 64-82.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2019). Personality in Adulthood: A Five-Factor Theory Perspective (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
Ng, K. W., & Tam, V. M. (2020). Cultural influences on body image satisfaction: A study among Malaysian young adults. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 51(3), 220-235.
Orth, U., & Robins, R. W. (2022). The development of self-esteem. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 31(2), 163-169.
Orth, U., Erol, R. Y., & Luciano, E. C. (2020). Development of self-esteem from adolescence to midlife: A 30-year longitudinal study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(2), 341-360.
Schneider, J. P., & Wright, K. L. (2019). Social anxiety, neuroticism, and self-esteem in young adults. Journal of Personality Studies, 38(4), 552-569.
Schneider, J. P., & Wright, K. L. (2019). The role of personality traits in social anxiety and body dissatisfaction among young adults. Personality and Individual Differences, 147, 37-42.
Schneider, J. P., Wright, K. L., & Stewart, A. B. (2019). Social physique anxiety and its effects on self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(4), 553-569.
Thompson, J. K., van den Berg, P., & Roehrig, M. (2021). The role of appearance-based social comparison in the development of body dissatisfaction and social physique anxiety. Journal of Eating Behaviors, 40, 8-14.
Wang, Y., Wang, Q., & Wang, C. (2020). The effect of mindfulness-based intervention on emotion regulation in adolescents: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 675.
Zimmerman, M. A., Bingenheimer, J. B., & Notaro, P. C. (2019). Social capital and self-esteem: The role of contexts of care. Journal of Adolescent Health, 25(1), 12-18.
Zimmerman, M. A., Zea, M. C., & Cabassa, L. J. (2019). Social comparison, body dissatisfaction, and self-esteem among adolescents: The moderating role of social support. Youth & Society, 51(4), 511-533.
Zuckerman, M., Li, C., & Hall, J. A. (2021). Gender differences in the personality predictors of sociability and leadership. Personality and Individual Differences, 168, 110316.
Jaapar, N. S., Ma’rof, A. A., & Abdullah, H. (2024). Relationship between Social Physique Anxiety, Body Image Dissatisfaction, Personality Types and Self-Esteem among Malaysian Young Adults. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(12), 481–495.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode