The mediator role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and social efficacy and social anxiety in young adults

The current study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the effect of fear of negative evaluation and social competence on social anxiety in young adults. The research was carried out with 648 people between the ages of 18-30, 68.99% (447) of whom were women and 31.01% (201) were men. In this study Demographic Information Form, Cognitive Flexibility Scale, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Social Skills and Social Outcome Expectations Scale were applied to the participants. In the study, independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed to determine whether social anxiety measures differed according to demographic structure. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variables in the study and simple mediation analysis was used to test the mediation models. When the result of the research were examined, it was foundt that the level of social anxiety differed according to having a psychiatric disorder. According to this; It has been observed that those with psychological disorders have higher social anxiety levels. According to the results of the correlation analysis; It has been determined that social anxiety has a negative relationship with cognitive flexibility and social efficacy. It has been determined that social anxiety has a positive relationship with fear of negative evaluation. In addition, it was concluded that cognitive flexibility has a positive relationship with social efficacy. Cognitive flexibility has a negative relationship with fear of negative evaluation. When the mediator variable analysis results were examined, it was seen that cognitive flexibility had a mediating role in the effect of social efficacy on social anxiety. In addition, according to the results of the analysis, it was seen that cognitive flexibility had a mediating role in the effect of fear of negative evaluation on social anxiety. The results of the study were discussed and interpreted in light of the relevant literature.