Social Anxiety and Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents: Relation with Peer Victimization, Self-Esteem and Emotion Regulation

Abstract

This study explores the levels and psychosocial consequences of social anxiety in adolescents to determine the predictive value of social anxiety in these effects. A total of 2.060 secondary school students (47.9% girls; mean age: 14.34) completed five scales to measure social anxiety, self-esteem, emotion regulation, and peer victimization (off and online). Three groups of youth with social anxiety along a continuum ranging from very low to higher degrees of the disorder were stablished. Differences were found among the groups regarding self-esteem, use of the cognitive reappraisal strategy, and peer and online victimization, with students suffering from higher levels of social anxiety showing the most negative effects. The predictive value of anxiety on these effects ranged from 9% to 33.5%. The results are discussed regarding the impact of social anxiety on well-being versus social discomfort and the need for interventions depending on the degree of this condition.