Longitudinal examination of social anxiety safety behaviors in college students.
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| Title: | Longitudinal examination of social anxiety safety behaviors in college students. |
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| Authors: | Kelly, A. Grace (AUTHOR), Hernández Ortiz, Jesús (AUTHOR), Fenton, Kayleigh (AUTHOR), Brosof, Leigh (AUTHOR), Tonge, Natasha (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of American College Health. May2026, Vol. 74 Issue 5, p1374-1382. 9p. |
| Subjects: | Safety, Secondary analysis, Asian Americans, African Americans, Positive psychology, Undergraduates, Hispanic Americans, White people, Longitudinal method, Pacific Islander Americans, Multiracial people, Surveys, Analysis of variance, Psychology of college students, Affect (Psychology), Student attitudes, Social anxiety, Time |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | Objective: Safety behaviors are meant to mitigate social anxiety but can exacerbate symptoms over time. College health professionals work with many students experiencing social anxiety. Understanding how safety behaviors change over a semester could inform work with these students. This study aimed to 1) examine longitudinal changes in safety behaviors in college students, 2) examine potential moderators of change in safety behaviors. Participants: Participants included 212 undergraduates at a mid-sized, private university in the U.S. Methods: Participants completed four weekly surveys. Results: Safety behaviors decreased over time regardless of year in school (b = −1.52, p <.001). This decrease was not moderated by participants' average levels of social anxiety or positive or negative affect. Conclusions: The semester's beginning may be a time of increased reliance on safety behaviors in college students, but safety behaviors can decrease overtime in a nonclinical college population without intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Objective: Safety behaviors are meant to mitigate social anxiety but can exacerbate symptoms over time. College health professionals work with many students experiencing social anxiety. Understanding how safety behaviors change over a semester could inform work with these students. This study aimed to 1) examine longitudinal changes in safety behaviors in college students, 2) examine potential moderators of change in safety behaviors. Participants: Participants included 212 undergraduates at a mid-sized, private university in the U.S. Methods: Participants completed four weekly surveys. Results: Safety behaviors decreased over time regardless of year in school (b = −1.52, p <.001). This decrease was not moderated by participants' average levels of social anxiety or positive or negative affect. Conclusions: The semester's beginning may be a time of increased reliance on safety behaviors in college students, but safety behaviors can decrease overtime in a nonclinical college population without intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 07448481 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/07448481.2025.2577652 |
