The mediating role of psychological resilience in the relationship between perceived parenting style and social anxiety in adults

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of psychological resilience in the relationship between perceived parental attitudes and social anxiety in adults. The study sample consisted of 407 adults aged between 18 and 64 living in Turkey. The data were collected through convenience sampling, and participants were reached via online platforms. Participants were administered a personal information form, the Short Form of the Perceived Parental Attitudes Scale-Child Form, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-Short Form. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS Macro 4.2 plug-in developed by Hayes. The results of the analyses revealed that perceived overprotective and rejecting parental attitudes were positively and significantly correlated with social anxiety, while perceived emotional warmth showed a negative and significant correlation. Furthermore, psychological resilience was found to be negatively and significantly correlated with social anxiety. When examining the relationship between psychological resilience and perceived parental attitudes, overprotection and rejection were negatively correlated, while emotional warmth was positively correlated. The results of the simple mediation analysis conducted in line with the main objective of the study showed that psychological resilience played a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived overprotective, rejecting and emotionally warm parental attitudes and social anxiety. The findings were discussed in light of the relevant literature, and potential clinical implications were addressed. Finally, suggestions for future research were provided.