Indirect Effect of Loneliness on Social anxiety through Social Self-efficacy

Abstract

Because of the changes in contemporary society, loneliness has become an increasingly important social issue that affects both mental and physical health. Although loneliness appears to have a particularly strong connection to social anxiety, the pathway from loneliness to social anxiety is poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to not only investigate a pathway between loneliness and social anxiety but also examine how social self-efficacy mediates their relationship. Although a direct relationship between loneliness and social self-efficacy has not been examined in detail, the close relationship between the two variables has been indicated in several studies. Moreover, since the impact social self-efficacy has on social anxiety is evident from previous studies, social self-efficacy is expected to play a role in mediating the pathway between loneliness and social anxiety. In Study 1, the indirect effect of loneliness on social anxiety was examined by using self-report. Independent impacts loneliness has on subtypes of social anxiety were tested through various scales (SPS-6/ SIAS-6, SAQ). Data analysis showed that, while loneliness showed significant indirect effects to all subtype of social anxiety, social interaction anxiety, compared to other facets of social anxiety, was more strongly associated with loneliness. In Study 2, an experimental study was designed to examine the causal effects of loneliness on social anxiety. Although existing studies have indicated the impact of loneliness on social anxiety, the relationship between loneliness and social anxiety is still vague. In accordance with previous studies, this study used loneliness manipulation in a controlled environment to examine the causal role of loneliness in social anxiety. Mediation variable was social self-efficacy as it was in Study 1. The result showed that reduced loneliness predicts higher social self-efficacy, which in turn lowers social anxiety. However, increased loneliness affected neither social self-efficacy nor social anxiety. In bootstrapping analysis, the indirect effect of loneliness on social anxiety was significant at 95% confidence level. This study contributes to the understanding of the indirect role loneliness has on social anxiety and specifies the pathway using survey and experimental approach. Implications and limitations are also discussed along with suggestions for future studies.