Modeling of Social Anxiety based on Brain-Behavioral Systems, Attachment to Parents and Peers and Social Self-Efficacy mediated by Emotion Control among Adolescents

The aim of the present study was the modeling of social anxiety based on brain-behavioral systems, attachment to parents and peers, and social self-efficacy mediated by emotion control among adolescents. This research was descriptive correlational using a structural equation modeling method. The statistical population included all of Tehran's secondary school students during the year 2021. In order to select the sample, eighteen schools were initially selected through cluster sampling. Then, of these, 564 individuals entered the study by convenience sampling method and responded to the Scales of Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation Systems (BIS/BAS, Carver & White, 1994), Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA, Armsden & Greenberg, 1987), Self-Efficacy for Social Situations (SESS, Gaudiano & Herbert, 2003), Emotion Control (ECQ, Roger & Najarian, 1989), and Social Phobia (SPIN, Connor et al., 2000). The results of this research indicated an acceptable fit of the proposed model with the collected data. According to the results, the behavioral inhibition system positively (P<0.01) and behavioral activation system (P<0.05), attachment to parents and peers, and social self-efficacy (P<0.01) negatively have a significant effect on social anxiety through emotional control mediation. So, according to the moderating role of emotion control, the advancement of emotional regulation skills can reduce the strength of the aetiological factors and help diminish the symptoms of adolescents' social anxiety.