The mediating effect of self-consciousness between peer relationship and social anxiety in HIV-infected children

Abstract

Objective To explore the relationship among peer relationship, self-consciousness and social anxiety in HIV-infected children. Methods Peer Relationship Scale, Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale and Social Anxiety Scale for Children were applied to 126 HIV-infected children. Results The score of peer relationship was 53.0(45.0, 62.0), the score of self-concept was 52.0(42.0, 60.0), and the score of social anxiety was 6.0(2.0, 9.0). Peer relationship was positively correlated with social anxiety( r=0.196, P=0.029) and negatively correlated with self-consciousness(r=-0.628, P<0.01). Self-consciousness was negatively correlated with social anxiety(r=-0.504, P<0.01). Bootstrap analysis showed that self-consciousness played a complete mediating role between peer relationship and social anxiety, and the mediating effect value was 0.377. Conclusion Peer relationship, self-consciousness and social anxiety are closely related.Furthermore, self-consciousness plays a complete mediating role between peer relationship and social anxiety in HIV-infected children. Key words: HIV-infected children; Peer relationship; Self-consciousness; Social anxiety