Investigation of the Relationship between Alexithymia and Social Appearance Anxiety in Individuals with Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between alexithymia and social appearance anxiety in individuals with diabetic foot ulcers. Methods: Conducted between January and December 2024, this descriptive and correlational study included 141 individuals diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcers who were admitted to a training and research hospital in eastern Turkey. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), and the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS). Descriptive statistics and normality tests were used to analyze the demographic data and scale scores. Pearson correlation and simple regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between the scales. Results: The mean score for the Toronto Alexithymia Scale was 58.46 ± 9.97, while the mean score for the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale was 45.70 ± 12.05. A significant positive correlation was found between alexithymia and social appearance anxiety (r = 0.645, P<.001) Regression analysis indicated that alexithymia explained 41.6% of the variance in social appearance anxiety (R = 0.645, R² = 0.416, F = 99.095, P<.001). Conclusion: A statistically significant relationship was found between alexithymia and social appearance anxiety in individuals with diabetic foot ulcers. Furthermore, higher alexithymia scores were associated with higher levels of social appearance anxiety.