Open AccessSocial anxiety mediates the relationship between social connectedness and test anxiety: An exploratory investigation
Author(s) -
Kavanagh Bianca E.,
Harvey Jack T.,
Mesagno Christopher
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of theoretical social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2475-0387
DOI - 10.1002/jts5.14
Subject(s) - social connectedness , social anxiety , psychology , anxiety , mediation , shyness , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , political science , law
This preliminary study explored the relationships and mediation structure among social anxiety, social connectedness, and test anxiety, among Australian higher education students ( N = 189). Results indicated that students who experienced higher social connectedness were less socially anxious and more inclined to experience higher test anxiety. Additionally, social anxiety was positively related to test anxiety. Exploratory mediation analyses revealed that social anxiety mediated between social connectedness and test anxiety. Social connectedness did not mediate between social anxiety and test anxiety. It is concluded that social connectedness protects against threats of relational devaluation and decreases social anxiety. However, due to the social component of test anxiety, these threats may persist when the examination has potential for relational devaluation to occur.