The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Social Phobia among College Students:The Mediating Effect of Fear of Negative Evaluation and the Moderating Effect of Perfectionism

Objectives:To explore the relationship between college students’self-esteem(SE)and their social phobia(SP),as well as the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation(FNE)and the moderating effect of perfectionism.Methods:A convenience sampling survey was carried out for 1020 college students from Shandong Province of China,utilizing measures of college students’self-esteem,fear of negative evaluation,perfectionism,and social phobia.Data analysis was performed using the SPSS PROCESS macro.Results:(1)college students’self-esteem significantly and negatively predicts their social phobia(β=−0.31,t=−10.10,p<0.001);(2)fear of negative evaluation partially mediates the relation between self-esteem and social phobia among college students,with the mediating effect accounting for 48.97%of the total effect(TE);(3)the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation is moderated by perfectionism(β=0.18,t=7.75,p<0.001),where higher levels of perfectionism strengthen the mediating effect of fear of negative evaluation.Conclusions:Perfectionism moderates the mediating effect that fear of negative evaluation plays,establishing a moderated mediating model.

Assessment of Negative Self-Image and Fear of Negative Evaluation Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Concern with real or imagined defect in physical appearance can become a major preoccupation during adolescence and young adult years. This is because, changes of puberty, rapid physical growth, and resulting sexual maturation that characterizes this age can trigger feelings of self-consciousness and awkwardness about body-image perceptions. In addition, the ＂perfect＂ body-image as dictated in the social culture could become a measure of self-worth, and this is capable of triggering negative self-image and social anxiety among adolescents. This study seeks to assess the incidence of negative self-image （preoccupation with real or imagined defect in physical appearance） and social anxiety characterized by fear of negative evaluation, among adolescents and young adults. Samples of 329 participants in the age range of 16-25 were drawn from the first and second years students of Federal University Wukari and University of Lagos, Nigeria. Participants completed a socio-demographic data sheet as well as NSII （Negative Self-Image Inventory） and revalidated version of FNE （Fear of Negative Evaluation）. Findings revealed that there is a correlation between negative self-image and fear of negative evaluation; males manifested higher symptoms of negative self-image than females; young adults aged 21-25 presented higher negative self-image that those aged 16-20, adolescents and young adults from Lagos metropolis experience higher manifestation of fear of negative evaluation than those from Wukari axis. This study therefore adds to knowledge in this area.

Decoding fear of negative evaluation from brain morphology:A machine-learning study on structural neuroimaging data

Background:Fear of negative evaluation(FNE),referring to negative expectation and feelings toward other people’s social evaluation,is closely associated with social anxiety that plays an important role in our social life.Exploring the neural markers of FNE may be of theoretical and practical significance to psychiatry research(e.g.,studies on social anxiety).Methods:To search for potentially relevant biomarkers of FNE in human brain,the current study applied multivariate relevance vector regression,a machine-learning and data-driven approach,on brain morphological features(e.g.,cortical thickness)derived from structural imaging data;further,we used these features as indexes to predict self-reported FNE score in each participant.Results:Our results confirm the predictive power of multiple brain regions,including those engaged in negative emotional experience(e.g.,amygdala,insula),regulation and inhibition of emotional feeling(e.g.,frontal gyrus,anterior cingulate gyrus),and encoding and retrieval of emotional memory(e.g.,posterior cingulate cortex,parahippocampal gyrus).Conclusions:The current findings suggest that anxiety represents a complicated construct that engages multiple brain systems,from primitive subcortical mechanisms to sophisticated cortical processes.

负面评价恐惧的性别差异:基于内隐和外显测量的比较

从内隐和外显两种角度探讨负面评价恐惧的性别差异。采用简式内隐联系测验(BIAT)和简明负面评价恐惧量表(BFNES)两种测量方法,实验共72名被试,每名被试先进行简式内隐联系测验,再完成简明负面评价恐惧量表,并借鉴不同方法对两种测量结果进行分析。结果发现:(1)被试的内隐负面评价恐惧与外显负面评价恐惧不存在显著相关,结果产生实验性分离;(2)负面评价恐惧不存在显著性别差异;(3)但有趣的是,不同性别被试内隐和外显负面评价恐惧的分离状况存在显著差异,其中男性的外显负面评价恐惧低于内隐负面评价恐惧,而女性的结果刚好相反,其外显负面评价恐惧高于内隐负面评价恐惧。这些结果表明被试的内隐和外显负面评价恐惧虽然不存在显著性别差异,但不同性别被试的内隐负面评价恐惧和外显负面评价恐惧内部存在不同的组合状况。

高中生的完美主义、惧怕否定与人格障碍倾向的相关研究

目的探讨中国高中生的完美主义、惧怕否定与人格障碍倾向之间的关系。方法以117名一至三年级高中生为样本(男生60人,女生57人),采用Frost多维完美主义心理量表、中国人人格障碍诊断量表及惧怕否定量表和对权威的畏惧感量表进行实测。结果完美主义、惧怕否定以及对权威的畏惧感都与人格障碍倾向显著相关,且完美主义与人格障碍倾向总分的相关高于惧怕否定或对权威的畏惧感与人格障碍倾向总分的关系。完美主义中的"条理性"维度与人格障碍倾向基本上不相关。结论人格障碍倾向与完美主义、惧怕否定、对权威的畏惧感有关;但完美主义比惧怕否定或对权威的畏惧感能更有效地预测中学生的人格障碍倾向。

大学生依恋类型与惧怕否定评价的关系研究

以301名大学生为被试,采用问卷调查法来探讨大学生依恋类型与惧怕否定评价的关系。结果表明:(1)依恋类型和惧怕否定评价在不同年级、不同性别的大学生之间无显著差异;(2)大学生依恋类型与惧怕否定评价之间存在显著相关;其中害怕型、专注型依恋与惧怕否定评价之间存在正相关,安全型、冷漠型依恋与惧怕否定评价之间存在负相关;(3)依恋类型对惧怕否定评价有一定的预测作用。

大学生惧怕否定心理与社会支持关系

目的分析和探讨高校大学生的社会支持现状,为更好地开展心理健康教育提供依据。方法以福建省福州、厦门和莆田3市4所大学2～4年级大学生作为研究对象,采用惧怕否定评价量表和修订的社会支持评定量表进行调查,并使用Hoteliling T2检验对结果进行分析。结果福建省部分普通高校学生惧怕否定评价总分范围为30～145分,均值为(85.15±13.316)分,存在惧怕否定心理的比例为39.0%,不同年级、性别学生的惧怕否定心理相似。具有惧怕否定心理的大学生,总的社会支持比较低;进一步分析可见,他们无论是获得的客观支持和主观支持,还是对这些支持的利用程度也均较低。结论惧怕否定心理会影响社会支持,帮助大学生克服这种心理,均建良好的社会支持系统,进而提高他们的心理健康状况。