Relationship Among Fear of Negative Evaluation, Social Avoidance and Distress, Anxiety and Loneliness in Youth

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to determine the relationship among fear of negative evaluation, social avoidance and distress, anxiety, and loneliness in youth. Analysis of a sample of 300 participants both males and females in the age range 18-25 years. For this purpose, the Scales used were the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation, the Social Avoidance, and Distress Scale, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the UCLA LONELINESS SCALE. Data was analyzed using SPSS which means Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis were conducted. The results revealed social avoidance distress is positively correlated to loneliness (r=.174, p<.01), social avoidance distress is positively correlated to anxiety (r=.323, p<.01), brief fear of negative evaluation is positively correlated to loneliness (r=.188, p<.01). and brief fear of negative evaluation is positively correlated to anxiety (r=.422, p<.01). Hence, the values are significant enough, and all hypotheses i.e., social avoidance, and distress are positively correlated to social anxiety in youth, social avoidance, and distress are positively correlated to loneliness in youth, fear of negative evaluation is positively correlated to loneliness in youth and fear of negative evaluation is positively correlated to social anxiety in youth got accepted.