Abstract
Background Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by a distorted self-image, which causes patients anxiety and excessive worry about their appearance. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by a fear of embarrassment in social situations. This study aimed to screen for BDD and examine its prevalence and relationship with SAD among urban Indian medical students. Methods A total of 176 medical students from 4 medical colleges in Mumbai were screened. They were administered the BDD Questionnaire, the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and the Social Phobia Scale, which were then compared for analysis using the chi-square test, Student's t-test, and Spearman's rho. Results The overall prevalence of BDD in urban Indian medical students was found to be 30.7%. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of BDD between males (33.3%) and females (29.3%) (chi-square = 0.301, df = 1, p = 0.583). BDD scores positively correlated with SIAS scores (Spearman's rho = 0.242, p=0.001), implying a significant association between BDD and SAD. Conclusions Medical students with BDD also reported having SAD, implying that a distorted self-image and worry about appearance also significantly hinder social communication and behaviour. Given the significant association between BDD and SAD, clinicians should consider screening for SAD in patients with BDD, and vice versa, to enable early intervention and integrated treatment.