Investigation of Social Anxiety with Regards to Anxiety Sensitivity, Self-Esteem, and Interpersonal Sensitivity

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the important predictors of social anxiety. Descriptive method was used in this study. Participants of the study were composed of 402 (209 females; 193 males) students studying in different departments of the Faculty of Education at Mugla University. In order to gather data Social Anxiety Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-R, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, and Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure were used. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was used for explaining social anxiety; Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis was also employed to search for relationships among all variables. The
findings showed that the fear of publicly observable anxiety reactions subdimension of anxiety sensitivity, self-esteem, and interpersonal awareness, need for approval, and timidity subdimensions of interpersonal sensitivity significantly predict social anxiety.