The relationship between social appearance anxiety and genital self-image: a sample of Turkish young adult men

Aim : This study aims to examine the relationship between social appearance anxiety and genital self-image in young adult men.Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 15, 2024, and September 15, 2025, involving 245 male individuals residing in the city center of eastern Turkey. The research data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), and the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGIS). Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. Descriptive statistics (number, percentage, minimum and maximum scores, mean, standard deviation), ANOVA, independent samples t-test, Cronbach's alpha, simple linear regression, and multiple regression analyses were utilized in the evaluation.Findings : The participants' average age was 21.37 +/- 2.24 years, and their average daily social media usage time was 4.83 +/- 2.85 h. It was found that 71.4% of the participants were university graduates, 37.6% were in a romantic relationship, and 70.2% had a normal body mass index. The mean SAAS score was 31.84 +/- 11.74, while the mean MGIS score was 23.26 +/- 4.54. A negative and low-level significant relationship was found between social appearance anxiety and genital self-image (p < 0.05).Conclusion : This study found that participants exhibited low levels of social appearance anxiety and high levels of genital self-image, and Social appearance anxiety was found to explain 4.6% of the variance in genital self-image. There is a need for more comprehensive research that systematically examines influential factors across diverse populations and age groups.