Self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation as mediators between family socioeconomic status and social anxiety in Chinese emerging adults

Abstract

The social causation hypothesis suggests that the stress in connection with a depressing social position results in the development of mental disorders. This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying the link between family socioeconomic status (SES) and social anxiety in Chinese emerging adults. A self-administered questionnaire was given to a representative sample (N = 717) of undergraduate students (17–23 years old) at three universities in China. Correlational and structural equation modeling analyses were employed to test the hypothesized three-path effect of self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation (FNE) as mediators between family SES and social anxiety. Findings suggest the following: (1) the emerging adults belonging to families with low SES are at an increased risk of social anxiety, and (2) lower family SES caused lower self-esteem, which, in turn, serves to enhance the levels of FNE, thereby increasing social anxiety. In addressing the prevention and treatment of social anxiety, we conclude that preventive efforts toward improving self-esteem may help reduce social anxiety in individuals with low family SES.