The Effect of University Students' Internalized Shame and Fear of Ostracism on SNS Addiction Proneness: The Mediating Role of Social Anxiety

This study aimed to explore in detail how social anxiety mediates the relationship between internalized shame, fear of social exclusion, and tendencies toward social networking site (SNS) addiction among university students.To address this research objective, an extensive online survey was administered to undergraduate students enrolled in universities across South Korea.A total of 333 valid responses were collected for analysis.The study utilized structural equation modeling to rigorously test the hypothesized relationships between the variables.Internalized shame and fear of social exclusion were measured using validated psychological scales, while social anxiety and SNS addiction tendencies were also assessed with established instruments.This methodological approach allowed for the investigation of both direct and indirect effects, providing a comprehensive understanding of the psychological processes underlying SNS addiction tendencies in this population.The results indicated that higher levels of internalized shame and fear of social exclusion were both significantly associated with increased social anxiety among university students.Furthermore, social anxiety was found to have a strong positive influence on SNS addiction tendencies, suggesting that students experiencing higher social anxiety are more likely to develop problematic SNS use.Importantly, the analysis revealed that social anxiety acted as a full mediator in the relationships between internalized shame and SNS addiction tendencies, as well as between fear of social exclusion and SNS addiction tendencies.This means that the effects of internalized shame and fear of social exclusion on SNS addiction tendencies were channeled entirely through social anxiety, highlighting its central role in this psychological pathway.