Social Anxiety among College Students: Predictive Roles of Attachment Insecurity and Emotional Schemas

Abstract

The associations between social anxiety, attachment insecurity, and emotional schemas were investigated among college students in the current study. A correlational design was used, and 502 college students (64.7% female, 35.3% male) participated in the study.  In data collection, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR), Social Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS) were used. In data analysis, the Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analysis were used. Before conducting hierarchical regression analysis, multivariate outliers, multicollinearity, and normality were assessed. Results revealed that female students had higher scores on the dimension of social avoidance. Moreover, attachment insecurity (avoidant and anxious) and emotional schemas were significant predictors of social anxiety of college students.