| Summary: | Evidence suggests that general self-efficacy, ones beliefs about his or her global
abilities, and social self-efficacy, ones beliefs in his or her ability to navigate social
situations, are strongly connected to levels of social anxiety. Negative self-statements,
also known as negative self-referent cognitions, have also been linked with levels of
social anxiety. Although self-efficacy and negative self-statements have been shown to
be important variables in the phenomenology and maintenance of social anxiety in
children, they have yet to be examined in conjunction with one another. The purpose of
this study was to examine the relationship between negative self-statements and selfefficacy
and examine both general self-efficacy and social self-efficacy as mediator
variables in the relationship between negative self-statements and social anxiety. This
study also aimed to determine which type of self-efficacy would be the best fit for the
proposed mediation model. To examine these variables, 126 children ages 11 to 14 years
recruited from the Louisiana State University Laboratory School were asked to complete
several questionnaires. Parents were contacted for consent and demographic information.
A significant relationship between negative self-statements and both general self-efficacy
and social self-efficacy respectively was established. Results also indicated that general
self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between negative self-statements and social
anxiety while social self-efficacy only partially mediated the relationship between
negative self-statements and social anxiety. Treatment implications, limitations, and
future recommendations are discussed.
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