The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem
Social anxiety is a serious psychological problem prevalent among Chinese college students, and appearance anxiety plays an important role in its development. Although some studies have explored the relationship between the two, the mediating mechanism is unclear. This study constructed a sequential...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/8/692 |
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| author | Jieying Liao Tiansheng Xia Xuan Xu Li Pan |
| author_facet | Jieying Liao Tiansheng Xia Xuan Xu Li Pan |
| author_sort | Jieying Liao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Social anxiety is a serious psychological problem prevalent among Chinese college students, and appearance anxiety plays an important role in its development. Although some studies have explored the relationship between the two, the mediating mechanism is unclear. This study constructed a sequential mediation model based on the cognitive–behavioral theory of body image disorder and social phobia to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy and self-esteem. A total of 234 college students were recruited using the convenience sampling method, including 68 males (29.10%) and 166 females (70.90%), with an average age of 21.25 years (SD = 1.75). Data were collected using the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Interaction Anxiety Scale. The study’s results demonstrated a significant and positive predictive relationship between appearance anxiety and social anxiety (effect = 0.21, SE = 0.04, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.29], <i>p</i> < 0.001). Appearance anxiety not only directly affects social anxiety but also has three indirect paths affecting social anxiety: the independent mediating effect of self-efficacy (effect = 0.03, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.06], <i>p</i> < 0.001), the independent mediating effect of self-esteem (effect = 0.03, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.07], <i>p</i> < 0.001), and the serial mediation effect of self-efficacy and self-esteem (effect = 0.01, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.03], <i>p</i> < 0.001). Direct and indirect effects accounted for 73.81% and 26.19% of the total effect, respectively. These findings provide new perspectives on the intervention with and treatment of social anxiety in college students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:07:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-78241d5e5627436a9935e7b9c6357796 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:07:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-78241d5e5627436a9935e7b9c63577962023-11-19T00:17:17ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2023-08-0113869210.3390/bs13080692The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-EsteemJieying Liao0Tiansheng Xia1Xuan Xu2Li Pan3School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaSchool of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaSchool of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaSchool of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaSocial anxiety is a serious psychological problem prevalent among Chinese college students, and appearance anxiety plays an important role in its development. Although some studies have explored the relationship between the two, the mediating mechanism is unclear. This study constructed a sequential mediation model based on the cognitive–behavioral theory of body image disorder and social phobia to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy and self-esteem. A total of 234 college students were recruited using the convenience sampling method, including 68 males (29.10%) and 166 females (70.90%), with an average age of 21.25 years (SD = 1.75). Data were collected using the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Interaction Anxiety Scale. The study’s results demonstrated a significant and positive predictive relationship between appearance anxiety and social anxiety (effect = 0.21, SE = 0.04, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.29], <i>p</i> < 0.001). Appearance anxiety not only directly affects social anxiety but also has three indirect paths affecting social anxiety: the independent mediating effect of self-efficacy (effect = 0.03, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.06], <i>p</i> < 0.001), the independent mediating effect of self-esteem (effect = 0.03, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = [0.01, 0.07], <i>p</i> < 0.001), and the serial mediation effect of self-efficacy and self-esteem (effect = 0.01, SE = 0.01, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.03], <i>p</i> < 0.001). Direct and indirect effects accounted for 73.81% and 26.19% of the total effect, respectively. These findings provide new perspectives on the intervention with and treatment of social anxiety in college students.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/8/692appearance anxietyself-efficacyself-esteemsocial anxietycollege students |
| spellingShingle | Jieying Liao Tiansheng Xia Xuan Xu Li Pan The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem Behavioral Sciences appearance anxiety self-efficacy self-esteem social anxiety college students |
| title | The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem |
| title_full | The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem |
| title_short | The Effect of Appearance Anxiety on Social Anxiety among College Students: Sequential Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem |
| title_sort | effect of appearance anxiety on social anxiety among college students sequential mediating effects of self efficacy and self esteem |
| topic | appearance anxiety self-efficacy self-esteem social anxiety college students |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/8/692 |
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