The mediating role of expectation of social self-effiancy in the relationship between cognitive flexibility and social anxiety in adolescents

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of expectation of social self-efficacy in the relationship between adolescents' cognitive flexibility and social anxiety. The research was conducted with a total of 657 students, 343 girls and 314 boys, studying in the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Ceyhan District of Adana. To collect data in the research, "Personal Information Form", "Cognitive Flexibility Scale", "Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents" and "Social Self-efficacy Expectation Scale (Adolescent Form)" were used. Correlation analysis was performed on the data obtained in the study to reveal the relationship between cognitive flexibility, social anxiety and social self-efficacy expectation variables. Since it was determined that the data obtained showed a normal distribution, parametric statistical methods were used in the analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to test whether social self-efficacy expectation has a mediating role between cognitive flexibility and social anxiety. According to the results of the research, there was a negative relationship between cognitive flexibility and social anxiety, a positive relationship between cognitive flexibility and social self-efficacy expectation, while a negative relationship was found between social anxiety and social self-efficacy expectation. Social anxiety was predicted at a statistically significant level by the predictive variable cognitive flexibility alone; It was found that the mediating variable, social self-efficacy expectation, alone significantly predicted social anxiety. When social self-efficacy expectation and cognitive flexibility were entered into the regression analysis, a statistically significant decrease was obtained between cognitive flexibility and social anxiety, and partial mediation was found to occur. Key Words: Cognitive flexibility, social anxiety, social self-efficacy expectation