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Name avoidance in social anxiety: Understanding alexinomia
Thomas Ditye1, Mara Sartorio2, Lisa Welleschik3
1Faculty of Psychology, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria; Association for Psychotherapy, Counselling, Supervision and Group Facilitation, Vienna, Austria.
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|December 25, 2024
Summary
Fear of using names, known as alexinomia, is strongly linked to social anxiety. This study found that individuals with higher social anxiety levels exhibit greater name avoidance, suggesting alexinomia may be a symptom of social anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Individuals may avoid using personal names due to social anxiety.
- This behavior, termed alexinomia, shares symptoms with social anxiety disorder.
- The relationship between alexinomia and social anxiety requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between alexinomia and social anxiety.
- To determine if social anxiety is a primary driver of name avoidance.
- To explore alexinomia within the context of social anxiety literature.
Main Methods:
- Assessed name avoidance behavior in 190 participants.
- Measured social anxiety using the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale.
- Employed regression analysis and group difference analyses.
Main Results:
- A strong positive correlation was found between alexinomia and social anxiety.
- Higher levels of social anxiety were associated with increased fear-based name avoidance.
- Regression and group analyses confirmed this significant relationship.
Conclusions:
- Alexinomia appears to be a common symptom in individuals with social anxiety.
- This study highlights alexinomia as a potentially overlooked aspect of social anxiety.
- Findings suggest alexinomia warrants further psychological research within social anxiety frameworks.
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