The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control
Social anxiety is a serious and prevalent psychological problem among university students, with intolerance of uncertainty playing an important role in its formation and development. The underlying mediating processes remain elusive despite the existing research on the association between these two...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/12/1183 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850042531484532736 |
|---|---|
| author | Hongyan Shen Tiansheng Xia Shimin Fu |
| author_facet | Hongyan Shen Tiansheng Xia Shimin Fu |
| author_sort | Hongyan Shen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Social anxiety is a serious and prevalent psychological problem among university students, with intolerance of uncertainty playing an important role in its formation and development. The underlying mediating processes remain elusive despite the existing research on the association between these two constructs. This investigation developed a sequential mediation model grounded in the triadic reciprocal determinism theory to examine the intermediary roles of core self-evaluation and attentional control. Utilizing a convenience sampling method, a total of 1580 undergraduate students were recruited for this study. The study variables were assessed using scales measuring intolerance of uncertainty, core self-evaluation, attention control, and social interaction anxiety. The results revealed a significant and positive predictive relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and social anxiety (effect = 0.10; SE = 0.02; 95% CI = [0.00, 0.05]; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Intolerance of uncertainty directly and indirectly impacted social anxiety via three pathways: the independent mediating influence of core self-evaluation (effect = 0.15; SE = 0.02; 95% CI = [0.12, 0.18]; <i>p</i> < 0.001), the independent mediating influence of attentional control (effect = 0.03; SE = 0.01; 95% CI = [0.02, 0.05]; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and a serial mediation effect involving both core self-evaluation and attentional control (effect = 0.04; SE = 0.01; 95% CI = [0.03, 0.06]; <i>p</i> < 0.001). These direct and indirect effects contributed 30.03% and 69.97% to the overall effect, respectively. This study offers novel insights for interventions and treatments targeting social anxiety in university students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-17c64703807a49b88d10aaedde7bb495 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-17c64703807a49b88d10aaedde7bb4952025-08-20T02:55:31ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-12-011412118310.3390/bs14121183The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional ControlHongyan Shen0Tiansheng Xia1Shimin Fu2Department of Psychology and Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaSchool of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510090, ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Center for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaSocial anxiety is a serious and prevalent psychological problem among university students, with intolerance of uncertainty playing an important role in its formation and development. The underlying mediating processes remain elusive despite the existing research on the association between these two constructs. This investigation developed a sequential mediation model grounded in the triadic reciprocal determinism theory to examine the intermediary roles of core self-evaluation and attentional control. Utilizing a convenience sampling method, a total of 1580 undergraduate students were recruited for this study. The study variables were assessed using scales measuring intolerance of uncertainty, core self-evaluation, attention control, and social interaction anxiety. The results revealed a significant and positive predictive relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and social anxiety (effect = 0.10; SE = 0.02; 95% CI = [0.00, 0.05]; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Intolerance of uncertainty directly and indirectly impacted social anxiety via three pathways: the independent mediating influence of core self-evaluation (effect = 0.15; SE = 0.02; 95% CI = [0.12, 0.18]; <i>p</i> < 0.001), the independent mediating influence of attentional control (effect = 0.03; SE = 0.01; 95% CI = [0.02, 0.05]; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and a serial mediation effect involving both core self-evaluation and attentional control (effect = 0.04; SE = 0.01; 95% CI = [0.03, 0.06]; <i>p</i> < 0.001). These direct and indirect effects contributed 30.03% and 69.97% to the overall effect, respectively. This study offers novel insights for interventions and treatments targeting social anxiety in university students.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/12/1183intolerance of uncertaintycore self-evaluationattentional controlsocial anxietyuniversity students |
| spellingShingle | Hongyan Shen Tiansheng Xia Shimin Fu The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control Behavioral Sciences intolerance of uncertainty core self-evaluation attentional control social anxiety university students |
| title | The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control |
| title_full | The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control |
| title_short | The Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Social Anxiety in University Students: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation and Attentional Control |
| title_sort | influence of intolerance of uncertainty on social anxiety in university students the sequential mediating effect of core self evaluation and attentional control |
| topic | intolerance of uncertainty core self-evaluation attentional control social anxiety university students |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/12/1183 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hongyanshen theinfluenceofintoleranceofuncertaintyonsocialanxietyinuniversitystudentsthesequentialmediatingeffectofcoreselfevaluationandattentionalcontrol AT tianshengxia theinfluenceofintoleranceofuncertaintyonsocialanxietyinuniversitystudentsthesequentialmediatingeffectofcoreselfevaluationandattentionalcontrol AT shiminfu theinfluenceofintoleranceofuncertaintyonsocialanxietyinuniversitystudentsthesequentialmediatingeffectofcoreselfevaluationandattentionalcontrol AT hongyanshen influenceofintoleranceofuncertaintyonsocialanxietyinuniversitystudentsthesequentialmediatingeffectofcoreselfevaluationandattentionalcontrol AT tianshengxia influenceofintoleranceofuncertaintyonsocialanxietyinuniversitystudentsthesequentialmediatingeffectofcoreselfevaluationandattentionalcontrol AT shiminfu influenceofintoleranceofuncertaintyonsocialanxietyinuniversitystudentsthesequentialmediatingeffectofcoreselfevaluationandattentionalcontrol |