Article Title: Relationship between Self-Esteem and Social Anxiety: Role of Social Connectedness as a Mediator
Author(s): Mahmooda Fatima, Sadia Niazi, & Saba Ghayas
Institute(s): Department of Psychology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha
Journal: Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2017, Vol. 15, No.2, 12-17
Correspondence Address: Saba Ghayas, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Sargodha (Pakistan), Email: saba.ghayas3@gmail.com
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate the role of social connectedness as a mediator in relation between self-esteem and social anxiety. A purposive sample of 150 men and 150 women was drawn from Sargodha city. Urdu translated Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (Fatima, 2014), Urdu Translated Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (Shahid, 2012) and Urdu Translated Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Sardar, 1998), were used to measure social connectedness, social anxiety and self-esteem respectively. Results revealed that self-esteem positively and significantly predicted social connectedness and it significantly negatively predicted social anxiety. Mediation analysis demonstrated that the relationship between self-esteem and social anxiety was fully mediated by social connectedness. Results also revealed that self-esteem and social connectedness were high in women than men while level of social anxiety was found to be higher among men as compared to women. Implications of the research have been discussed.
Keywords: self-esteem, social anxiety, social connectedness, mediation
