The Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Social Anxiety in Junior High School Students: The Chain Mediating Role...

Junior high school students represent a high-risk population for social anxiety, and reducing their levels of social anxiety is particularly crucial for their growth and psychological well-being. This study aims to examine the impact of perceived stress on social anxiety among junior high school students and its mediating mechanisms. The research involved 682 junior high school students (345 females; Mage = 14.46, SDage = 0.50), using the Perceived Stress Scale, Adolescent Social Anxiety Scale, Adolescent Avoidance and Convergence Questionnaire, and Problematic Social Media Use Assessment Questionnaire. The results indicate that perceived stress not only directly and positively predicts social anxiety in junior high school students but also may indirectly be associated with social anxiety through the mediating effect of psychological inflexibility. Further mediation analysis revealed that psychological inflexibility and problematic social media use (PSMU) exerted a chain mediating effect between perceived stress and social anxiety. Specifically, perceived stress triggered psychological inflexibility, which in turn promoted PSMU, thereby ultimately may exacerbate social anxiety among junior high students. This study offers a novel theoretical perspective on understanding the formation of social anxiety in junior high students and provides empirical evidence for schools and families to implement targeted mental health interventions.