1. P An Examination of the Unique Contributions of Social Anxiety
In Predicting Maintenance Factors in Romantic Relationships
Christian M. Hahn, M.Sc.; & Lorne J. Campbell, PhD.
The University of Western Ontario
BACKGROUND
METHOD
RESULTS
Social anxiety is characterized by fear and avoidance of social situations and is associated with pronounced difficulties in interpersonal functioning and, subsequently, relationship maintenance (Clark & Wells, 1995; Schneider et al., 2002; Sparrevohn & Rapee, 2009).
individuals with high levels of social anxiety are less likely to marry and are more likely to divorce than are their non-anxious counterparts, (Davidson, Hughes, George, & Blazer, 1994; Lampe, Slade, Issakidis, & Andrews, 2003; Wittchen et al., 2000).
Relatively little is known about the way that social anxiety impacts the specific factors that maintain romantic relationships
Social anxiety is associated with a unique, self-protective style of communication, deficits in relationship maintenance behaviours, and distorted perceptions of available social support
Relationship satisfaction, trust, commitment, and support, are all key processes in romantic relationships
These processes are driven largely by stable interpersonal dynamics and prosocial perceptions of one’s partner (Amato, Booth, Johnson, & Rogers, 2007; Rempel, Ross, & Holmes, 2001; Rhoades, Stanley, & Markman, 2010).
The association between social anxiety and relationship satisfaction is unclear, with past research finding mixed results; perhaps due to variance in employed methodology and insufficient statistical power
Social anxiety has been elsewhere demonstrated to be a robust predictor of perceived partner social support
The associations between dyadic trust and commitment, and social anxiety have not been investigated in prior research
Dyadic trust is associated with optimism, assumptions of the benevolence of others, and expectations of prosocial behaviours (Rempel, Ross, & Holmes, 2001)
Commitment is linked with the availability of attractive alternatives and with strong social communication
Social anxiety disorder is highly comorbid with major depressive disorder and has a similar expression of illness
Depression is also associated with pronounced difficulties in romantic relationships
It is important to consider the effects of depression when studying the influence of social anxiety on romantic relationship functioning P
PARTICIPANTS
Power analysis using G*Power 3.1 indicated that a sample of 257 participants was required to achieve 90% statistical power for a regression model with two predictors
The final sample included N = 254 adult participants (Mage = years, SD = 11.11; 49.5% male) recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical TURK (MTURK)
All participants were involved in a monogamous romantic relationship at the time of participation (Mrelationship length = 8.95 years [SD = 8.88; Median = 5.71])
Participants were required to have a 95% job approval rate on MTURK
PROCEDURE
Prior to data collection, this study was pre-registered on the open science framework (OSF)
Participants remotely completed a series of questionnaires hosted on the online survey platform Qualtrics
Attention checks were embedded within the survey and inattentive participants were flagged for removal from data analysis
MEASURES
Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS: Mattick & Clarke, 1998)
Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS; Hendrick, Dicke, & Hendrick, 1998)
Dyadic Trust Scale (DTS; Larzelere & Huston, 1980)
The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List – General Population (ISEL; Cohen & Hoberman, 1983; Cohen, Mermelstein, Kamarck, & Hoberman, 1985)
Commitment Scale – 15 Item Version(Rusbult, Kumashiro, Kubacka, & Finkel, 2009)
Zung Self-report Depression Scale (SDS; Zung, 1965)
DATA ANALYTIC STRATEGY
Multiple regression analyses will be run to predict each of relationship satisfaction (total score, RAS), commitment (total score, 15-item Commitment Scale), trust (average score, Dyadic Trust Scale, and support (total score, ISEL), from social anxiety (total score, SIAS).
In instances of a significant first order associations a subsequent hierarchical regression analysis will be run in which the DV remains the same but is entered as the level 1 predictor and social anxiety as the level 2 predictor
for each model at level 1 the DV will be regressed onto participant depression, and at level 2, the DV will be regressed onto participant social anxiety
Interaction terms between social anxiety and depression are not part of this analytic strategy
First order regression analyses
Social anxiety was found to be a unique predictor of relationship satisfaction, dyadic trust, social support, and commitment
Criterion B F R2
Relationship Satisfaction
-.121
30.335***
.101
Social Support
-.854
***
.303
Commitment
-.033
13.476***
.231
Trust
-.257
 43.562***
.139
Hierarchical regression analyses
Social anxiety was found to be a unique predictor of relationship satisfaction, dyadic trust, and social support
The association between social anxiety and commitment was no longer significant when depression was included in the model
Criterion
(Model)
Variables entered B
Beta t
R2 change
F change
Adjusted R2
Relationship
Satisfaction
(1) Depression
-.277
-.390
-6.741***
.152
45.444***
.149
(2) Depression
-.213
-.301
-4.117***
.013
3.941*
.159
(2) Social Anxiety
-.056
-.145
-1.985*
Social Support
-1.730
-.626
***
.380
***
.293
-1.217
-.434
-6.958***
.056
23.120***
.319
-.466
-.300
-4.808**
Commitment
-.078
-.295
-4.616***
.087
21.307***
.083
-.063
-.238
-.238**
.006
1.472
.085
-.014
-.096
-1.213
Trust
-.616
-.485
-8.826***
.235
77.893***
.232
-.502
-.395
-5.707***
4.473*
.243
-.101
-.146
-2.115*
DISCUSSION
The primary goal of the present research was to identify potential sources of relational disharmony that are driven by the symptoms of social anxiety.
The results of this study largely fit with the predicted associations between romantic relationship functioning and social anxiety. Increased social anxiety predicted decreased relationship satisfaction, dyadic trust, and global perceptions of support, above and beyond the influence of depressive symptoms.
Prior research in this field has yielded inconsistent results. By using a high-powered and diverse sample, controlling for relevant covariates, and selecting theoretically appropriate measures, the results of the present study provide a novel investigation and clarification of the unique association between social anxiety and relationship satisfaction.
The present study was the first to identify a link between perceived social support in distressing situations and social anxiety
Support in this context is believed to be a greater source of personal benefit than is support in neutral contexts
The present study was pre-registered on the open-science framework (OSF), utilized a diverse sample of adults engaged in long-term romantic relationships, and the statistical power of 90% computed a priori was achieved
Due to this we are confident in the generalizability and replicability of the results of the present study
Future research will employ Longitudinal research to allow for empirical investigations of the direction of causality that is absent in the extant literature.
RESULTS
HYPOTHESES
Zero order correlations for all study variables
Hypothesis 1. Based on prior literature highlighting the propensity for social anxiety to generate biased working models of the hostility of others and exhibit withdrawal behaviours, participant social anxiety is anticipated to be negatively impact several key aspects of romantic relationship functioning. These influences are expected to be unique from those attributable to depression
H1a: Higher social anxiety will predict lower relationship satisfaction above and beyond the influence of depression.
H1b: Higher social anxiety will predict lower social support above and beyond the influence of depression.
H1c: Higher social anxiety will predict lower dyadic trust above and beyond the influence of depression.
H1d: Higher social anxiety will predict commitment above and beyond the influence of depression. This hypothesis is non-directional.
Variables
SIAS
SDS
RAS
DTS
ISEL
COMM r -
.613***
-.318***
-.386***
-.373***
-.491***
.738***
-.550***
-.619***
.402***
.492***
-.231***
-.276***
.648***
.566***
.393***