The mediating role of fear of evaluation between psychological Suzhi and social anxiety among Chinese secondary school students

This study explored the mediating role of fear of evaluation on the relationship between psychological suzhi and social anxiety, and identified differences in the strength of this relationship. The Brief Psychological Suzhi Questionnaire for Middle School Students, the Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale, the brief version Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale were administered to 1464 secondary school students between the ages of 11 and 18 in China. Analyses revealed that the study variables were significantly correlated with each other, and mediation analyses indicated that fear of evaluation mediated the relationship between psychological suzhi and social anxiety. Moreover, the mediating effects of fear of positive evaluation were stronger than were those of fear of negative evaluation. The findings of this study may provide new perspectives regarding the prevention and treatment of social anxiety.