Perception of Control Over Anxiety and Social Anxiety Symptoms: Mediating Role of Three Types of Safety Behavior

Abstract

The perception of control over anxiety is a generalized psychological vulnerability factor within the anxiety disorders. Theoretical studies have suggested that effects of perception of control over anxiety on social anxiety are mediated by safety behavior. However, the present authors were unable to find any published empirical research that had examined how 3 types of safety behavior, i.e., active behavior, restricting/limiting behavior, and hiding physical symptoms, mediate the relations between perception of control over anxiety and social anxiety symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between these components by use of mediation analyses. The participants were 174 undergraduate students. The results indicated that the effects of perception of control over anxiety on social anxiety symptoms were partially mediated by all 3 types of safety behavior. In conclusion, the present study provides support for the importance of perception of control over anxiety and 3 types of safety behavior when decreasing social anxiety symptoms.