The Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Depression Among Rural High School Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Social Comparison and Social Support

Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of social anxiety on depression among high school students and examine the parallel mediating roles of social comparison and social support. Methods: A total of 806 rural high school students were surveyed using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, the Social Phobia Inventory, the Chinese version of the Social Comparison Orientation Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results: Social anxiety and social comparison were significantly and positively correlated with depression, while social support exhibited a significant negative correlation with depression. The direct effect of social anxiety on depression was also found to be significant. Moreover, social comparison and social support both played significant parallel mediating roles in the relationship between social anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Social anxiety has a direct positive predictive effect on depression, and this effect can be indirectly mediated through the parallel roles of social comparison and social support.