The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress
Abstract Backgroud This study aims to explore the relationships between self-esteem, resilience, social distress, and social avoidance among college students. It also examines the mediating roles of resilience and social distress in the relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance. Methods...
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02444-2 |
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| author | Aili Shang Liping Feng Guoli Yan Ling Sun |
| author_facet | Aili Shang Liping Feng Guoli Yan Ling Sun |
| author_sort | Aili Shang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Backgroud This study aims to explore the relationships between self-esteem, resilience, social distress, and social avoidance among college students. It also examines the mediating roles of resilience and social distress in the relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance. Methods A convenience cluster sampling method was used to select all first-year students from a university in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Data were collected through an online survey administered via the WENJUANXING platform, which included a general information questionnaire, the Self-Esteem Scale, the Psychological Resilience Scale, and the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale. A total of 2513 first-year students completed the survey. SPSS 26.0 software was used to analyze the correlation between self-esteem, resilience, social distress and social avoidance, and the mediation model was tested by Mplus8. Results Self-esteem, resilience were negatively correlated with social distress scores (r = -0.411, p < 0.01; r =-0.387, p < 0.01, respectively). Self-esteem and resilience were negatively correlated with social avoidance scores (r = -0.437, p < 0.01; r = -0.379, p < 0.01, respectively). Social distress and social avoidance scores were positively correlated (r = 0.778, p < 0.01). Resilience partially mediated the association between self-esteem and social avoidance(β = -0.02, p < 0.01), with a mediation rate of 5.01%. Social distress partially mediated the associations between self-esteem and social avoidance(β = -0.203, p < 0.01) with a mediation rate of 50.87%. Resilience and social distress together (β = -0.06, p < 0.01) formed a mediating chain between self-esteem and social avoidance, with a mediation rate of 15.03%. Conclusions Self-esteem was negatively associated with social avoidance. Resilience and social distress were found to mediate the association partially. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2a93c3fb3bc440d0a9021dab31f3612c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-2a93c3fb3bc440d0a9021dab31f3612c2025-08-20T02:43:14ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832025-02-0113111110.1186/s40359-025-02444-2The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distressAili Shang0Liping Feng1Guoli Yan2Ling Sun3Ningxia Vocational Technical College of Industry and CommerceDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Qingdao Municipal HospitalDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Tianjin Anding HospitalDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Tianjin Anding HospitalAbstract Backgroud This study aims to explore the relationships between self-esteem, resilience, social distress, and social avoidance among college students. It also examines the mediating roles of resilience and social distress in the relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance. Methods A convenience cluster sampling method was used to select all first-year students from a university in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Data were collected through an online survey administered via the WENJUANXING platform, which included a general information questionnaire, the Self-Esteem Scale, the Psychological Resilience Scale, and the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale. A total of 2513 first-year students completed the survey. SPSS 26.0 software was used to analyze the correlation between self-esteem, resilience, social distress and social avoidance, and the mediation model was tested by Mplus8. Results Self-esteem, resilience were negatively correlated with social distress scores (r = -0.411, p < 0.01; r =-0.387, p < 0.01, respectively). Self-esteem and resilience were negatively correlated with social avoidance scores (r = -0.437, p < 0.01; r = -0.379, p < 0.01, respectively). Social distress and social avoidance scores were positively correlated (r = 0.778, p < 0.01). Resilience partially mediated the association between self-esteem and social avoidance(β = -0.02, p < 0.01), with a mediation rate of 5.01%. Social distress partially mediated the associations between self-esteem and social avoidance(β = -0.203, p < 0.01) with a mediation rate of 50.87%. Resilience and social distress together (β = -0.06, p < 0.01) formed a mediating chain between self-esteem and social avoidance, with a mediation rate of 15.03%. Conclusions Self-esteem was negatively associated with social avoidance. Resilience and social distress were found to mediate the association partially.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02444-2Social anxietySocial distressSocial avoidanceSelf-esteemResilienceChain mediation effect |
| spellingShingle | Aili Shang Liping Feng Guoli Yan Ling Sun The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress BMC Psychology Social anxiety Social distress Social avoidance Self-esteem Resilience Chain mediation effect |
| title | The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress |
| title_full | The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress |
| title_short | The relationship between self-esteem and social avoidance among university students: chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress |
| title_sort | relationship between self esteem and social avoidance among university students chain mediating effects of resilience and social distress |
| topic | Social anxiety Social distress Social avoidance Self-esteem Resilience Chain mediation effect |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02444-2 |
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