The relationship among self-efficacy, negative self-statements, and social anxiety in children: a mediation

Abstract

Evidence suggests that general self-efficacy, one’s beliefs about his or her global abilities, and social self-efficacy, one’s beliefs in his or her ability to navigate social situations, are strongly connected to levels of social anxiety. Negative self-statements, also known as negative self-referent cognitions, have also been linked with levels of social anxiety. Although self-efficacy and negative self-statements have been shown to be important variables in the phenomenology and maintenance of social anxiety in children, they have yet to be examined in conjunction with one another. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between negative self-statements and selfefficacy and examine both general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy as mediator variables in the relationship between negative self-statements and social anxiety. This study also aimed to determine which type of self-efficacy would be the best fit for the proposed mediation model. To examine these variables, 126 children ages 11 to 14 years recruited from the Louisiana State University Laboratory School were asked to complete several questionnaires. Parents were contacted for consent and demographic information. A significant relationship between negative self-statements and both general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy respectively was established. Results also indicated that general self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between negative self-statements and social anxiety while social self-efficacy only partially mediated the relationship between negative self-statements and social anxiety. Treatment implications, limitations, and future recommendations are discussed.