Enter your email address
Submit
Write your message
Department of General Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. , k.yazdanbakhsh@razi.ac.ir
Abstract: (51 Views)
Background: Social anxiety is one of the psychological problems frequently observed in children and adolescents. The causes of social anxiety stem from various sources; among these factors are childhood maltreatment, perceived social support, and shame. Despite numerous studies on factors related to social anxiety, the simultaneous investigation of shame’s mediating role in these relationships has received less attention and constitutes a research gap.
Aims: The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of shame in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived social support with symptoms of social anxiety in female students of the second level of high school in Kermanshah.
Methods: This research employed a correlational design based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all female students studying in the second level of high schools in Kermanshah during the academic year 2023-2024. The sample consisted of 290 participants selected through cluster sampling. Data collection instruments included the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (La Greca & Lopez,1998), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 2003), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988), and the Experience of Shame Scale (Cohen et al., 2011). The relationships among variables were examined using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling techniques. The maximum significance level for hypothesis testing was set at 0.05 (p≤0.05). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28 and AMOS version 24.
Results: The results indicated that perceived social support had a direct effect on social anxiety (p<0.05, β = -0.180). Furthermore, the indirect effect of perceived social support on social anxiety, mediated by shame, was confirmed (p<0.05). Childhood maltreatment also had both a direct effect (p<0.05, β = 0.149) and an indirect effect on social anxiety (p<0.05). Model fit indices confirmed the goodness of fit, and the coefficient of determination showed that the predictor variables explained 45% of the variance in social anxiety.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, understanding the mediating role of shame in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived social support with symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be beneficial for the early identification of social anxiety symptoms and effective intervention, thereby preventing its adverse effects on adolescents’ mental health
Aims: The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of shame in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived social support with symptoms of social anxiety in female students of the second level of high school in Kermanshah.
Methods: This research employed a correlational design based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all female students studying in the second level of high schools in Kermanshah during the academic year 2023-2024. The sample consisted of 290 participants selected through cluster sampling. Data collection instruments included the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (La Greca & Lopez,1998), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 2003), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988), and the Experience of Shame Scale (Cohen et al., 2011). The relationships among variables were examined using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling techniques. The maximum significance level for hypothesis testing was set at 0.05 (p≤0.05). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28 and AMOS version 24.
Results: The results indicated that perceived social support had a direct effect on social anxiety (p<0.05, β = -0.180). Furthermore, the indirect effect of perceived social support on social anxiety, mediated by shame, was confirmed (p<0.05). Childhood maltreatment also had both a direct effect (p<0.05, β = 0.149) and an indirect effect on social anxiety (p<0.05). Model fit indices confirmed the goodness of fit, and the coefficient of determination showed that the predictor variables explained 45% of the variance in social anxiety.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, understanding the mediating role of shame in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived social support with symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be beneficial for the early identification of social anxiety symptoms and effective intervention, thereby preventing its adverse effects on adolescents’ mental health
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/05/21 | Accepted: 2025/08/1 | Published: 2026/04/21
Received: 2025/05/21 | Accepted: 2025/08/1 | Published: 2026/04/21
References
1. ابراهیمی حجتالله، دژکام محمود، ثقهالاسلام طاهره (1392). تروماهای دوران کودکی و اقدام به خودکشی در بزرگسالی . مجله روانپزشکی و روانشناسی بالینی ایران. ۱۳۹۲; ۱۹ (۴) :۲۷۵-۲۸۲. URL: http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/article-1-2090-fa.html
2. استوار، صغری و رضویه، اصغر (1392). بررسی ویژگی های روان سنجی مقیاس اضطراب اجتماعی برای نوجوانان جهت استفاده در ایران. روش ها و مدلهایروانشناختی، 3(12)،78-69.https://jpmm.marvdasht.iau.ir/article_292.html
3. بشارت، محمدعلی (1398). مقیاس چندبعدی حمایت اجتماعی ادراک شده: پرسشنامه، روش اجرا و نمره گذاری. روانشناسی تحولی: روانشناسان ایران، 15(59)، 336-338.https://sid.ir/paper/516322/fa
4. جوکار، بهرام و کمالی، فاطمه (1394). بررسی رابطه معنویت و احساس شرم و گناه. فرهنگ در دانشگاه اسلامی، 5(1)، 21-3. https://ciu.nahad.ir/article_254.html
5. Alomari, N. A., Bedaiwi, S. K., Ghasib, A. M., Kabbarah, A. J., Alnefaie, S. A., Hariri, N., Altammar, M. A., Fadhel, A. M., Altowairqi, F. M. (2022). Social anxiety disorder: Associated conditions and therapeutic approaches. Cureus. 14(12):e32687. doi: 10.7759/cureus.32687.
6. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical mannual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.
7. Bardezard, Y. A., Barahmand, U., Qanbaryjoopish, M., & Ghasimi, P. (2025). The Mediating Role of Shame and Self-criticism in Social Anxiety: An Emotion-Focused Therapy Approach. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences/Progress in Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, 19(1). DOI: 10.5812/ijpbs-156867
8. Barnett, M. D., Maciel, I. V., Johnson, D. M., & Ciepluch, I. (2021). Social anxiety and perceived social support: Gender differences and the mediating role of communication styles. Psychological reports, 124(1), 70-87.DOI: 10.1177/0033294119900975
9. Bernstein, D. P., Stein, J. A., Newcomb, M. D., Walker, E., Pogge, D., Ahluvalia, T., ... & Zule, W. (2003). Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child abuse & neglect, 27(2), 169-190.
10. Besharat, M. A. (2019). Multidimensional scale of perceived social support: questionnaire, instruction and scoring. Developmental Psychology: Iranian Psychologists, 15(59), 336-338.https://sid.ir/paper/516322/fa
11. Chen, B., Sun, X., Huang, X., & Yao, L. (2024). Examining the reciprocal link between social anxiety and social relationships spanning from childhood to adulthood: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Developmental Psychology, 60(1), 170.DOI: 10.1037/dev0001666
12. Chowdhury, S. M. R., George, F., & Gulati, S. (2023). Study of Childhood Abuse and Anxiety: An Application of Logistic Regression. Journal of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, 8(3):314-327. DOI: 10.18502/jbe.v8i3.12307
13. Cohen, T. R., Wolf, S. T., Panter, A. T., & Insko, C. A. (2011). Introducing the GASP scale: a new measure of guilt and shame proneness. Journal of personality and social psychology, 100(5), 947.
14. Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L. S. (2013). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781410606266
15. Daniel, K. E., Moulder, R. G., Boker, S. M., & Teachman, B. A. (2025). Trait social anxiety moderates the relationship between emotion-regulation strategy switching and state anxiety in daily life. Clinical Psychological Science, 13(1), 160-177.DOI: 10.1177/21677026241249192
16. Do, K. T., Paolizzi, S. G., & Hallquist, M. N. (2024). How adolescents learn to build social bonds: A developmental computational account of social explore-exploit decision-making. Developmental cognitive neuroscience, 69, 101415.DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101415
17. Downey, C., & Crummy, A. (2022). The impact of childhood trauma on children's wellbeing and adult behavior. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 6(1), 100237. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100237
18. Douglas, K.R., Chan, G., Gelernter, J., Arias, A.J., Anton, R.F., Weiss, R.D., & Kranzler, H.R. (2010). Adverse childhood events as risk factors for substance dependence: Partial mediation by mood and anxiety disorders. Addictive Behaviors, 35, 7-13.DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.07.004
19. Ebrahimi H, Dejkam M, Seghatoleslam T. (2014). Childhood Traumas and Suicide Attempt in adulthood. IJPCP; 19 (4) :275-282 URL: http://ijpcp.iums.ac.ir/article-1-2090-fa.html
20. Fergus, T. A., Valentiner, D. P., McGrath, P. B., & Jencius, S. (2010). Shame-and guilt-proneness: Relationships with anxiety disorder symptoms in a clinical sample. Journal of anxiety disorders, 24(8), 811-815. DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.06.002
21. Gazelle, H. (2022). Two models of the development of social withdrawal and social anxiety in childhood and adolescence: Progress and blind spots. Children, 9(5), 734. DOI: 10.3390/children9050734
22. Gilbert, P., & Miles, J.N.V. (2000). Sensitivity to put-down: Its relationship to perceptions of shame, social anxiety, depression, anger and self–other blame. Personality and Individual Differences. 29, 919 –994. DOI: 10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00230-5
23. Gonzalez, D., Mirabal, A. B., McCall, J. D., & Doerr, C. (2023). Child abuse and neglect (nursing). In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
24. Halinski, R. S., & Feldt, L. S. (1970). The selection of variables in multiple regression analysis. Journal of Educational Measurement, 7(3), 151-157.
25. He, X. (2023). How Parenting Styles Influence Adults’ Social Anxiety. Parenting, 12:88-94. DOI: 10.54097/ehss.v12i.7604
26. Jesusa, V., Gutierrez, M., Alkhaibari, m., Mjmmi, m., Aloqbi, r., Majrashi, s., & Alonazi, r. (2022). Relationship between parenting style and mental health among the female adolescents in tabuk city, KSA. International Journal of Nursing Education, 14(1). DOI: 10.37506/ijone.v14i1.17737
27. Jokar, B., & Kamali, F. (2015). Relation Between Spirituality and the Feeling of Shame and Sin. Culture in Islamic University, 5(14), 3-20. https://ciu.nahad.ir/article_254.html
28. Kisely, S., Najman, J. M., & Strathearn, L. (2024). Childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence: 30-Year follow-up of a birth cohort study. Journal of aggression, maltreatment & trauma, 33(7), 844-863. DOI: 10.1007/s10964-016-0558-3
29. Krishnamoorthy, G., Davis, P., O’Donovan, A., McDermott, B., & Mullens, A. (2021). Through benevolent eyes: the differential efficacy of perspective taking and cognitive reappraisal on the regulation of shame. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 14, 263-288.DOI: 10.1007/s41811-020-00085-4
30. La Greca, A. M., & Lopez, N. (1998). Social anxiety among adolescents: Linkages with peer relations and friendships. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 26(2), 83–94. DOI: 10.1023/a:1022684520514
31. Liu, J., Deng, J., Zhang, H., & Tang, X. (2023). The relationship between child maltreatment and social anxiety: a meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 329, 157-167.DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.081
32. Mann, R. B., & Blumberg, F. (2022). Adolescents and social media: The effects of frequency of use, self-presentation, social comparison, and self esteem on possible self imagery. Acta Psychologica, 228, 103629. DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103629
33. Mattson, M., & Hall, J. G. (2011). Linking health communication with social support. In Health as communication nexus: A service-learning approach (pp. 181-218). Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
34. Moghtader, L., & Shamloo, M. (2019). The correlation of perceived social support and emotional schemes with students’ social anxiety. Journal of Holistic Nursing and Midwifery, 29(2), 106-112.DOI: 10.32598/JHNM.29.2.106
35. Moreno, A. G., & Jurado, M. D. M. M. (2024). Social Skills and Creativity as Elements That Enhance Resilience in Adolescence. Behavioral Sciences, 14(12), 1158.DOI: 10.3390/bs14121158
36. Oren-Yagoda, R., Rosenblum, M., & Aderka, I. M. (2024). Gender differences in shame among individuals with social anxiety disorder. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 48(4), 720-729. DOI: 10.1007/s10608-023-10461-x
37. Ostovar, S., & Razavieh, A. (2013). The study of psychometric properties of social anxiety scale for adolescents (SAS-A) for Use in Iran. Journal of Psychological Models and Methods, 3(13), 69-78. https://jpmm.marvdasht.iau.ir/article_292.html?lang=en
38. Oyundoyin, B., Jacob, U. S., Oyundoyin, T., & Onasanya, O. (2023). Interpersonal communication skills and proactive stance to life’s puzzles among children: A review. International Journal of Home Economics, Hospitality and Allied Research, 2(2), 140-148. DOI: 10.57012/ijhhr.v2n2.010
39. Prieto-Fidalgo, Á., & Calvete, E. (2025). Bidirectional Relationships Between Dispositional Mindfulness, Looming Maladaptive Style, and Social Anxiety in Youth. Mindfulness, 16(1), 215-223. DOI: 10.1007/s12671-024-02493-5
40. Rose, D. T., & Abramson, L. Y. (1992). Development of depressive disorders: Cognitive vulnerability–stress model. In D. Cicchetti & S. L. Toth (Eds.), Developmental perspectives on depression (pp. 411–436). Rochester University Press.
41. Schuster, P., Beutel, M. E., Hoyer, J., Leibing, E., Nolting, B., Salzer, S., ... & Leichsenring, F. (2021). The role of shame and guilt in social anxiety disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 6, 100208. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100208
42. Sekowski, M., Gambin, M., Cudo, A., Wozniak-Prus, M., Penner, F., Fonagy, P., & Sharp, C. (2020). The relations between childhood maltreatment, shame, guilt, depression and suicidal ideation in inpatient adolescents. Journal of affective disorders. Doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.056.
43. Sheehy, K., Noureen, A., Khaliq, A., Dhingra, K., Husain, N., Pontin, E. E., ... & Taylor, P. J. (2019). An examination of the relationship between shame, guilt and self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review, 73, 101779. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101779
44. Swee, M. B., Hudson, C. C., & Heimberg, R. G. (2021). Examining the relationship between shame and social anxiety disorder: A systematic review. Clinical psychology review, 90, 102088. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102088
45. Üstündağ, A., Haydaroğlu, S., Sayan, D., & Güngör, M. (2025). The relationship between social anxiety levels and effective communication skills of adolescents participating in sports. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 1-9. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-00800-1
46. Xinyue, H. (2023). How parenting styles influence adults’ social anxiety. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. 12:88-94. DOI: 10.54097/ehss.v12i.7604
47. Xu, H., Luo, X., Shen, Y., & Jin, X. (2023). Emotional abuse and depressive symptoms among the adolescents: the mediation effect of social anxiety and the moderation effect of physical activity. Front. Public Health 11:1138813. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1138813.
48. van Eickels, R. L., Siegel, M., Juhasz, A. J., & Zemp, M. (2025). The parent–child relationship and child shame and guilt: A meta‐analytic systematic review. Child Development, 96(3):907-929. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14212
49. Zhang, H., Zhu, X., Zhang, H., Xie, X., Wei, E., & Huang, W. (2025). The relationship between childhood trauma and social anxiety in college students: the mediating role of evaluation fear. BMC psychiatry, 25(1), 280. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-025-06668-9
50. Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988). The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. |
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)