Predicting social anxiety based on anger rumination, aggression, and problem solving styles

Social anxiety disorder is the second most common type of anxiety disorder characterized by fear or perceived anxiety about one or more specific social situations. The purpose of this study was to predict social anxiety based on anger rumination, problem solving, and aggression.

This was a correlation descriptive study and the population of this study consisted of all students in Islamic Azad University Karaj Branch in autumn 2015 which trough them 600 students were selected by multistage sampling method. The study tools were included Anger Rumination Scale, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, Problem Solving Styles Questionnaire and Social Anxiety Questionnaire.

Results showed that anger rumination (β=0.394, P=0.0001), non-constructive problem solving (β=0.323, P=0.0001), constructive problem solving (β=-0.096, P=0.049) and aggression (P=0.0001, β=0.256) were significant predictors of social anxiety.

It can be concluded from the results of this study that anger rumination, by weakening the anger management ability, impedes the use of constructive problem solving in social situations in which the person has anxiety and becomes aggressive.