Predicting Social Anxiety Through Peer Rejection and Fear of Negative Evaluation in Youth
Keywords:
Social anxiety, peer rejection, fear of negative evaluation, adolescents, cognitive vulnerability, PeruAbstract
Objective: This This study aimed to examine the predictive roles of peer rejection and fear of negative evaluation in relation to social anxiety among adolescents in Peru.
Methods and Materials: The research employed a correlational descriptive design with a sample of 378 adolescents selected based on the Krejcie and Morgan sampling table. Participants were recruited from public and private secondary schools in Peru using stratified random sampling. Standardized instruments were used to measure the study variables: the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) for social anxiety, the Peer Experiences Questionnaire – Revised (PEQ-R) for peer rejection, and the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE) for fear of negative evaluation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationships between the dependent and independent variables, and linear regression was conducted to assess the predictive power of peer rejection and fear of negative evaluation on social anxiety.
Findings: The results revealed that both peer rejection and fear of negative evaluation had significant positive correlations with social anxiety (p < .01). Linear regression analysis showed that both independent variables significantly predicted social anxiety (p < .001), with fear of negative evaluation emerging as the stronger predictor. These findings indicate that adolescents who experience higher levels of peer rejection and who exhibit greater fear of negative evaluation are more likely to report elevated symptoms of social anxiety.
Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of both interpersonal experiences and internal cognitive mechanisms in the development of social anxiety among adolescents. The findings suggest that addressing fear of negative evaluation and improving peer relationships may be key targets for early intervention and prevention strategies aimed at reducing social anxiety in school-aged youth.study aimed to examine the structural relationships between thought/action fusion, cognitive beliefs, mindfulness, and experiential avoidance with symptoms of OCD in a non-clinical population.
Downloads
References
Auer, B. J., Grant, D. M., Granger, D. A., Mukherjee, D., Saunders, E. F., & Byrd‐Craven, J. (2020). Social Anxiety and Common OXTR Gene Variant Are Associated With Cortisol Response Following Peer Social Challenge. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/3bftj
Baartmans, J. M. D., Francisca, J. A. v. S., Mobach, L., Lansu, T. A. M., Bijsterbosch, G., Verpaalen, I. A. M., Rapee, R. M., Magson, N. R., Bögels, S. M., Rinck, M., & Klein, A. M. (2020). Social Anxiety and Perceptions of Likeability by Peers in Children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 38(2), 319-336. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12324
Bintas-Zorer, P., & Dirik, G. (2023). Social Anxiety From an Attachment Theory Perspective: The Mediating Role of Early Maladaptive Schema Domains and Rejection Sensitivity. Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, 23(2), 25-47. https://doi.org/10.24193/jebp.2023.2.9
Caouette, J. D., & Guyer, A. E. (2016). Cognitive Distortions Mediate Depression and Affective Response to Social Acceptance and Rejection. Journal of affective disorders, 190, 792-799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.015
Delgado, B., Inglés, C. J., Aparisi, D., & García-Fernández, J. M. (2016). Social Anxiety and Sociometric Nomination in Spanish Students of Compulsory Secondary Education. The Spanish journal of psychology, 19. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2016.47
Grossman, M. N. (2021). Worries About Being Embarrassed in Front of Classmates. 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197577479.003.0013
Gu, R., Ao, X., Mo, L., & Zhang, D. (2020). Neural Correlates of Negative Expectancy and Impaired Social Feedback Processing in Social Anxiety. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 15(3), 285-291. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsaa038
Hofmann, V. (2023). Anxiety in Students With Intellectual Disabilities: The Influence of Staff-Perceived Social Acceptance and Rejection in the Classroom. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1157248
Hussain, M. A., Rafaqat, S., Imran, H., & Hussain, S. (2023). The Relationship Between Rejection Sensitivity and Social Anxiety Among College Students in Rahim Yar Khan District. Voyage Journal of Educational Studies, 3(2), 208-228. https://doi.org/10.58622/vjes.v3i2.58
Joo, S., & Cho, S.-J. (2020). Differences in Social Anxiety and Peer Relationships According to the Characteristics and Academic Performance of Maladjusted School Students. Asia-pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange, 6(11), 85-93. https://doi.org/10.47116/apjcri.2020.11.08
Kaufman, T. M. L., Kretschmer, T., Huitsing, G., & Veenstra, R. (2019). Caught in a Vicious Cycle? Explaining Bidirectional Spillover Between Parent-Child Relationships and Peer Victimization. Development and Psychopathology, 32(1), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579418001360
Keshtkaran, Z. (2023). Are Academic Self-Efficacy and Fear of Negative Evaluation Related to Nursing Students' Clinical Competence? https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3268084/v1
Lee, H.-S., Lee, J.-E., Lee, K. U., & Kim, Y.-H. (2014). Neural Changes Associated With Emotion Processing in Children Experiencing Peer Rejection: A Functional MRI Study. Journal of Korean medical science, 29(9), 1293. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2014.29.9.1293
Lee, Y. J. (2023). Analysis of Structural Relationships Among Adult Attachment, Rejection Sensitivity, Ambivalence Over Emotional Expressiveness and Social Anxiety of University Students. Korean Association for Learner-Centered Curriculum and Instruction, 23(15), 931-947. https://doi.org/10.22251/jlcci.2023.23.15.931
Li, J., Jia, S., Wang, L., Zhang, M., & Chen, S. (2023). Relationships among inferiority feelings, fear of negative evaluation, and social anxiety in Chinese junior high school students. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1015477. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1015477
Mak, H. W., Fosco, G. M., & Feinberg, M. E. (2017). The Role of Family for Youth Friendships: Examining a Social Anxiety Mechanism. Journal of youth and adolescence, 47(2), 306-320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0738-9
Park, S. J. (2023). Effects of Social Anxiety and Social Support on Smartphone Addiction and Peer Relationship of High School Students. Korean Association for Learner-Centered Curriculum and Instruction, 23(12), 803-820. https://doi.org/10.22251/jlcci.2023.23.12.803
Patel, K. F., Ni, P., Rodríguez-Mercedes, S. L., Surette, K. E., Rencken, C. A., Fabia, R., Tully, C., Palmieri, T. L., Romanowski, K. S., Warner, P., Stoddard, F. J., Schneider, J. C., Kazis, L. E., & Ryan, C. M. (2022). 124 the Relationship Between Social Functioning and Psychological Status: A Preschool-Libre1-5 Study. Journal of Burn Care & Research, 43(Supplement_1), S81-S82. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/irac012.126
Pinkse-Schepers, A. L., Buil, J. M., Sijtsma, H., Hollarek, M., Walsh, R. J., van Buuren, M., Krabbendam, L., & Lee, N. C. (2024). The development of depression and social anxiety symptoms in adolescents and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and desire for peer contact. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1374327. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1374327
Rappaport, B. I., Jackson, J. J., Whalen, D. J., Pagliaccio, D., Luby, J. L., & Barch, D. M. (2021). Bivariate Latent-Change-Score Analysis of Peer Relations From Early Childhood to Adolescence: Leading or Lagging Indicators of Psychopathology. Clinical Psychological Science, 9(3), 350-372. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702620965936
Rappaport, B. I., Kujawa, A., Arfer, K. B., Pegg, S., Kelly, D., Jackson, J. J., Luby, J. L., & Barch, D. M. (2023). Behavioral and Psychiatric Correlates of Brain Responses to Social Feedback. Psychophysiology, 61(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14413
Rotenberg, K. J. (2020). Peer Rejection and Loneliness. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119171492.wecad404
Rowe, S. L., Gembeck, M. J. Z., Rudolph, J., & Nesdale, D. (2014). A Longitudinal Study of Rejecting and Autonomy-Restrictive Parenting, Rejection Sensitivity, and Socioemotional Symptoms in Early Adolescents. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 43(6), 1107-1118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-014-9966-6
Sadka, D. A., Doron, G., & Mikulincer, M. (2023). Parents’ Attachment Anxiety and Preoccupation With Their Child’s Social Functioning: The Moderating Role of Social Rejection and Acceptance. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(12), 3932-3954. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231196277
Setiani, R., Kamillah, S. H. L., & Sihura, S. S. G. (2024). Hubungan Antara Dukungan Sosial Teman Sebaya Dengan Quarter Life Crisis Pada Remaja Kelas XII Di SMA Negeri 1 Mande Cianjur Tahun 2023. ViMed, 1(3), 29-45. https://doi.org/10.62383/vimed.v1i3.166
Su, S., Pettit, G. S., & Erath, S. A. (2016). Peer Relations, Parental Social Coaching, and Young Adolescent Social Anxiety. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 42, 89-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2015.11.007
Tarakçıoğlu, M. C. (2024). Can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Be Effective for Social Anxiety Disorder With Dissociative and Self-Harm Behaviors in a 15-Year-Old Adolescent? Medical Research Reports, 7(2), 114-119. https://doi.org/10.55517/mrr.1419278
Urbán, D. J. A., García-Fernández, J. M., & Ingles, C. J. (2024). Social Anxiety Profiles and Psychopathological Symptom Differences in Spanish Adolescents. Child Psychiatry and Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-024-01756-5
Wright, M. F., & Wachs, S. (2019). Does Peer Rejection Moderate the Associations Among Cyberbullying Victimization, Depression, and Anxiety Among Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder? Children, 6(3), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/children6030041
Ying, L., Zhang, S., & Jia, X. (2022). Peer Attachment and Self‐esteem Mediate the Relationship Between Family Function and Social Anxiety in Migrant Children in China. Child Care Health and Development, 49(3), 563-571. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.13072
Zhang, I. Y., Powell, D. M., & Bonaccio, S. (2022). The role of fear of negative evaluation in interview anxiety and social‐evaluative workplace anxiety. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 30(2), 302-310. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12365
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
