Advisers

Maria Regina V. Baluyut

Discipline

Psychology

Abstract

Body image dissatisfaction has been linked to increased social anxiety among college students due to fear of negative evaluation and heightened self-consciousness. While previous studies have explored the relationship between body image and social anxiety, limited research has examined the role of self-efficacy in this connection. Guided by Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, this study investigated whether self-efficacy influences the relationship between body image satisfaction and social anxiety among Psychology students at Bestlink College of the Philippines. A quantitative descriptive–correlational design was utilized. The participants were 341 Psychology students aged 18 to 33 years selected through purposive sampling based on a pre-survey screening. Data were collected using researcher-made, expert-validated questionnaires measuring body image satisfaction, social anxiety, and self-efficacy. Statistical tools included frequency and percentage distribution, weighted mean, Shapiro–Wilk test, Spearman’s rho correlation, regression analysis, and mediation analysis. Findings revealed high body perception (WM = 3.03) but low body appreciation (WM = 1.96). Social anxiety levels were high across dimensions, including fear of judgment (WM = 3.01), shame (WM = 3.03), and social self-consciousness (WM = 3.08). Self-efficacy levels were generally low, particularly in emotional confidence (WM = 1.86) and emotional regulation (WM = 1.99). Statistical analyses showed no significant relationship between body image satisfaction and social anxiety, and self-efficacy did not mediate their relationship. Although respondents exhibited high social anxiety and low self-efficacy, the absence of significant relationships suggests that other psychological and environmental factors may better explain social anxiety among students. Emotional regulation difficulties, academic stress, peer comparison, and social media exposure may contribute more strongly than body image satisfaction alone. The findings highlight the need for institutional mental health programs focusing on emotional regulation skills, resilience-building, and coping strategies. Future research should examine additional variables and use broader sampling to better understand predictors of social anxiety in college populations.

Keywords

Self-Efficacy, Emotional Regulation, coping strategies, Body Appreciation, Body Image Satisfaction, Body Perception, Psychological Awareness, Self-Consciousness, and Social Anxiety