Negative social self-cognitions: How shyness may lead to social anxiety

Abstract

This three-wave longitudinal study spanning five years evaluated the mediating roles of negative social self-perception and social interpretation bias in the link between adolescent shyness and social anxiety. Participants were 331 (pre-)adolescents aged 9 to 17 years old at Wave 1, with data from 261 participants available for the main analyses. The study used a parent-reported measure of shyness. Social anxiety and the mediator variables were self-reported. Results showed that shyness predicted a relative increase in social anxiety over time. Negative social self-perception mediated the shyness social anxiety link, but social interpretation bias did not. The results suggest that shy adolescents who think negatively about their social performance may become socially anxious. Boosting the social self-perception of shy (pre-)adolescents may help to prevent the development of social anxiety.