Correlation of Family Environment with The Self-Esteem and Social Anxiety of Medical Students

Background: Social anxiety disorder is a mental health condition in which social situations and interactions cause extreme anxiety, feelings of self-consciousness, and embarrassment. It leads to refrainment from social activities and scenarios such as making small talk with strangers or acquaintances in social events, performing in public, and even eating in public. Studies have shown that social anxiety disorder is the second most common anxiety disorder and is often co-morbid with other psychopathological disorders. It is caused by a multitude of factors such as self-esteem issues, excessive social media usage, body image issues, unresolved familial matters, and peer rejection. The family environment significantly affects the behavior and development of individuals. Self-esteem is one’s sense of self-worth, value, belonging, and competence. As shown through research, in most cases, low self-esteem is an outcome of hypercritical and frequent negative feedback from family and friends. It can either build or break the self-esteem. With the rise of mental health disorders and the subsequent awareness regarding diagnosis and intervention for it, it is the need of the hour to investigate the variables that influence the onset and/or aggravation of such disorders. Aims & Objectives: This study was intended to examine the relationship of family environment with self-esteem and social anxiety in medical students of Gujarat. Methodology: A sample of 110 individuals (39 females and 71 males) participated in the study. The psychological scales used in this study were: The Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale (1987), The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (1965), and The Perceived Social Support Family Scale by Procidano and Heller (1983).  It followed a correlational research design and the data analysis was done through the Spearman Correlation Coefficient. Results: The results of the study revealed that there was a significant and positive correlation between family environment and self-esteem, as well as a significant and negative correlation between family environment and social anxiety. Conclusion: It can be concluded that family environment plays a crucial role in the occurrence as well as management of social anxiety disorder.