The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Approval Dependence in University Students: The Serial Mediation of Interaction Anxiety and Insight

Abstract

This research examined the serial mediating effect of interaction anxiety and insight into the relationship between self-esteem and approval dependence in university students. The research group comprised 511 volunteer university students, of whom 78,7% were females and 21,3% were males. Research data was collected via “The Two-Dimensional Self-Esteem Scale”, “The Scale of Interpersonal Relationship Dimensions”, “Interaction Anxiousness Scale”, and “Insight Scale”. In analysing the data, descriptive statistics were examined and the relationship between variables was calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The bootstrap method was used to test the mediation model.The mediation analysis results revealed that interaction anxiety and insight functioned as mediation variables in the relationship between self-esteem and approval dependence. According to the findings, an increase in self-esteem causes a decline in interaction anxiousness, which causes an increase in insight, which in turn leads to a decline in approval dependence. Findings related to the model that was tested were discussed following the literature. Suggestions for researchers and field practitioners were listed.

Keywords

• Self-esteem
• interpersonal relationships
• approval dependence
• interaction anxiety
• insight
• serial mediator model.

References

1. Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and levels of stress in relation to locus of control and self-esteem in university students. Educational Psychology, 14(3), 323-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144341940140306
2. Ahmad, Z. R., Bano, N., Ahmad, R., & Khanam, S. J. (2013). Social anxiety in adolescents: Does self-esteem matter. Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(2), 91-98.
3. Akdogan, R. & Turkum, A. S. (2018) Insight Scale for nonclinical university students: Validity and reliability analysis. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 51(4), 250-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2017.1413941
4. Arnett, J. J. (2004). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties. New York: Oxford University Press.
5. Avcı-Cayir, G., & Kalkan, M. (2018). The effect of interpersonal dependency tendency on interpersonal cognitive distortions on youths. Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment, 28(6), 771-786. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1458681
6. Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Krueger, J. I., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(1), 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1111/1529-1006.01431
7. Bebek, H. (2012). The study of validity and reliability of Approval Dependence Scale. NPAkademi, 1(2), 30-35.
8. Bornstein, R. F. (1992). The dependent personality: Developmental, social, and clinical perspectives. Psychological Bulletin, 112(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.112.1.3

9. Burger, J. M. (2006). Kişilik. Kaknüs Yayınları.
10. Coskun, H. (2009). The Interaction Anxiousness Scale: A Study for validity and reliability. Turkish Psychological Articles, 12(23), 41-49.
11. Crocker, J. (2002). The costs of seeking self-esteem. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 597-615. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-4560.00279
12. Dogan, T. (2011). Two-Dimensional Self-Esteem: Adaptation of the Self-Liking/Self-Competence Scale into Turkish: A validity and reliability study. Education and Science, 36(162), 126-137. Don, B. P., Girme, Y. U., & Hammond, M. D. (2019). Low self-esteem predicts indirect support seeking and its relationship consequences in intimate relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(7), 1028-1041. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218802837
13. Erden-Cinar, S. (2020). Relationship between world assumptions and resilience in psychological counsellors: The mediating role of self-orientations. European Journal of Educational Research, 9(3), 1211-1223.
14. Erozkan, A. (2011). Investigation of social anxiety with regards to anxiety sensitivity, self-esteem, and interpersonal sensitivity. Elementary Education Online, 10(1), 338-347.
15. Eryananda, F., & Oriza, I. I. D. (2020, November). Feasibility Study of Acceptance Commitment Group Therapy on Social Anxiety Symptom Reduction in College Students With Low Self-Esteem. In 3rd International Conference on Intervention and Applied Psychology (ICIAP 2019) and the 4th Universitas Indonesia Psychology Symposium for Undergraduate Research (UIPSUR 2019) (pp. 94-105). Atlantis Press.
16. Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2011). How to design and evaluate research in education. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.
17. Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Pearsons Education.
18. Gumus, A. E. (2016). A prediction of social anxiety based on self esteem and dysfunctional attitudes. Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Journal, 3(26), 63-75.
19. Grant, A. M., Franklin, J., & Langford, P. (2002). The self-reflection and insight scale: A new measure of private self-consciousness. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 30(8), 821-835. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2002.30.8.821
20. Hamachek, D. (2000). Dynamics of self‐understanding and self‐knowledge: Acquisition, advantages, and relation to emotional intelligence. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 38(4), 230-242. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2164-490X.2000.tb00084.x
21. Hamarta, E., & Demirbas, E. (2009). Examination of shyness and self-esteem of high school students from the point of the view of dysfunctional attitude. Selçuk University Institute of Social Sciences Journal, (21), 239-247.
22. Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. Guilford Publications.
23. Hayes, A. F., & Rockwood, N. J. (2017). Regression-based statistical mediation and moderation analysis in clinical research: Observations, recommendations, and implementation. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 98, 39-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2016.11.001
24. Imamoğlu, S. E., & Aydın, B. (2009). Scale of Dimensions of Interpersonal Relationships. Studies in Psychology, 29, 39-64.
25. Karasar, B., & Ogulmus, S. (2016). Need for Social Approval Scale: The Validity and Reliability. Ege Education Journal, 17(1), 84-104. https://doi.org/10.12984/eed.38607
26. Kashdan, T. B. (2004). The neglected relationship between social interaction anxiety and hedonic deficits: Differentiation from depressive symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 18(5), 719-730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2003.08.001
27. Kashdan, T. B., Adams, L., Savostyanova, A., Ferssizidis, P., McKnight, P. E., & Nezlek, J. B. (2011). Effects of social anxiety and depressive symptoms on the frequency and quality of sexual activity: A daily process approach. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49(5), 352-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2011.03.004
28. Kashdan, T. B., & Roberts, J. E. (2007). Social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and post-event rumination: Affective consequences and social contextual influences. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(3), 284-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.05.009
29. Kawamoto, T. (2020). The moderating role of attachment style on the relationship between self-concept clarity and self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 152, 109604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.109604
30. Koch, E. J. (2002). Relational schemas, self-esteem, and the processing of social stimuli. Self and Identity, 1(3), 271-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/152988602760124883
31. Konan, N., & Celik, O. T. (2019). The mediator role of interaction anxiety in the relationship between social support perception and smartphone addiction. Journal of Education and Future, (15), 63-75. https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.397445
32. Leary, M. R. (1983). Social anxiousness: The construct and its measurement. Journal of Personality Assessment, 47(1), 66-75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4701_8
33. Leary, M. R. (2004). What is the self? A plea for clarity. Self and Identity, 3(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500342000004
34. Leary, M. R., & Kowalski, R. M. (1993). The interaction anxiousness scale: Construct and criterion-related validity. Journal of Personality Assessment, 61(1), 136-146. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa6101_10
35. Leary, M. R., & Kowalski, R. M. (1995). Social anxiety. The Guilford Pres.
36. Leary, M. R., Tambor, E. S., Terdal, S. K., & Downs, D. L. (1995). Self-esteem as an interpersonal monitor: The sociometer hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(3), 518. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.68.3.518
37. MacKinnon, D. P., Lockwood, C. M., & Williams, J. (2004). Confidence limits for the indirect effect: Distribution of the product and resampling methods. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 39(1), 99-128. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr3901_4
38. Mann, M. M., Hosman, C. M., Schaalma, H. P., & De Vries, N. K. (2004). Self-esteem in a broad-spectrum approach for mental health promotion. Health Education Research, 19(4), 357-372. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg041
39. Mattick, R. P., & Clarke, J. C. (1998). Development and validation of measures of social phobia scrutiny fear and social interaction anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 36(4), 455-470. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(97)10031-6
40. Mruk, C. J. (2006). Self-esteem research, theory, and practice: Toward a positive psychology of self-esteem. Springer Publishing Company.
41. Okcu, C. (2020). Examination of the relationships between self-esteem and well-beings with structural equation modeling. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Dergisi, 1(1), 52.69.
42. Orth, U., Robins, R. W., & Widaman, K. F. (2012). Life-span development of self-esteem and its effects on important life outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 102(6), 1271. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025558
43. Orth, U., & Robins, R. W. (2014). The development of self-esteem. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(5), 381-387. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721414547414
44. Ozkan, İ. A., & Ozen, A. (2008). The relation between submissive behaviours and self-esteem state among nursing students. TAF Preventive Medicine Bulletin, 7(1), 53-58.
45. Pachankis, J. E., & Goldfried, M. R. (2006). Social anxiety in young gay men. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 20(8), 996-1015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.01.001
46. Pettijohn, T. F., Naples, G. M., & McDermott, L. A. (2010). Gender, college year, and romantic relationship status differences in embarrassment and self-attitudes of college students. Individual Differences Research, 8(3), 164-170.
47. Plummer, D. (2014). Helping adolescents and adults to build self-esteem: A photocopiable resource book. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
48. Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879-891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879
49. Rudich, E. A., Sedikides, C., & Gregg, A. P. (2007). Self‐esteem moderates preferences for accepting versus rejecting interaction partners. European Journal of Social Psychology, 37(5), 955-967. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.408
50. Sabini, J., Siepmann, M., Stein, J., & Meyerowitz, M. (2000). Who is embarrassed by what?. Cognition & Emotion, 14(2), 213-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/026999300378941
51. Salmivalli, C., Kaukiainen, A., Kaistaniemi, L., & Lagerspetz, K. M. (1999). Self-evaluated self-esteem, peer-evaluated self-esteem, and defensive egotism as predictors of adolescents’ participation in bullying situations. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25(10), 1268-1278. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167299258008
52. Schutz, A. (1998). Coping with threats to self‐esteem: the differing patterns of subjects with high versus low trait self‐esteem in first‐person accounts. European Journal of Personality, 12(3), 169-186. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-0984(199805/06)12:3<169::AID-PER299>3.0.CO;2-F
53. Stefan, C. A., & Cheie, L. (2020). Self-compassion and social anxiety in late adolescence: Contributions of self-reflection and insight. Self and Identity, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2020.1861082
54. Sübasi, G. (2007). Some variables for social anxiety prediction in college students. Education and Science, 32(144), 3-15.
55. Swann Jr, W. B., Chang-Schneider, C., & Larsen McClarty, K. (2007). Do people's self-views matter? Self-concept and self-esteem in everyday life. American Psychologist, 62(2), 84. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.62.2.84
56. Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics. (Vol. 6). Pearson Education.
57. Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann Jr, W. B. (1995). Self-linking and self-competence as dimensions of global self-esteem: initial validation of a measure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65(2), 322-342. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa6502_8
58. Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann Jr, W. B. (2001). Two-dimensional self-esteem: Theory and measurement. Personality and Individual Differences, 31(5), 653-673. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00169-0
59. Thomaes, S., Reijntjes, A., Orobio de Castro, B., Bushman, B. J., Poorthuis, A. ve Telch, M. J. (2010). I like me if you like me: On the interpersonal modulation and regulation of preadolescents’ state self‐esteem. Child Development, 81(3), 811-825. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01435.x
60. Vaughan-Johnston, T. I., Lambe, L., Craig, W., & Jacobson, J. A. (2020). Self-esteem importance beliefs: A new perspective on adolescent self-esteem. Self and Identity, 19(8), 967-988. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2019.1711157