Social anxiety in people with facial palsy: The role of fear of negative evaluation and appearance‐fixing behaviour
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to explore whether people with facial palsy experienced more social appearance anxiety, social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and engaged in more appearance-fixing behaviour than controls without facial palsy. The secondary aim was to investigate whether fear of negative evaluation and appearance-fixing behaviour were predictive of social appearance anxiety in people with facial palsy. METHOD: People with facial palsy (n = 78) and people without facial palsy (n = 86) completed online questionnaires with measures of social anxiety, social appearance anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and appearance-fixing behaviour. RESULTS: The facial palsy group experienced significantly greater social appearance anxiety, social anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation than the control group; controlling for depression. The facial palsy group also engaged in significantly more appearance-fixing behaviour than the control group. Further, controlling for depression, fear of negative evaluation from others and appearance-fixing were both found to be significant positive predictors of social appearance anxiety in the facial palsy group. DISCUSSION: Findings are consistent with Clark and Well's (1995) cognitive behavioural model of social anxiety. Findings indicate a need for screening and provision for psychological support for social anxiety in people with facial palsy and that cognitions relating to fear of negative evaluation and appearance-fixing behaviour are potentially useful targets for intervention.
DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.70018
Institution: University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,240
OpenAlex ID: W4413908043