• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.99-115
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• 2023

This study aimed to investigate the impact of college students' fashion competence on social anxiety, focusing on the mediating effects of interpersonal skills and appearance anxiety. To this end, a survey was conducted among 235 college students via online communities, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. The factor analysis revealed sub-factors of fashion competence, including fashion involvement, fashion innovativeness, and confidence in fashion coordination. The regression analysis of the mediation model showed that while fashion involvement indirectly reduces social anxiety through interpersonal skills, there was no mediating effect of appearance anxiety. Fashion innovativeness had an indirect impact on social anxiety through appearance anxiety, but there was no mediating effect through interpersonal skills. Confidence in fashion coordination influenced social anxiety indirectly through both interpersonal skills and appearance anxiety, and it also had a significant direct effect. This research confirmed that fashion competence can have a dual impact on social anxiety, and suggested that enhancing confidence in fashion coordination through fashion therapy programs might be beneficial for resolving college students' social anxiety. However, such programs should avoid excessively pursuing fashion innovativeness, as it can increase appearance anxiety, and should focus on enhancing confidence in one's appearance.