The Impact of Social Phobia on Assertiveness among Young Adult

Abstract

Social phobia is a prevalent psychological concern among young adults and may hinder the development of essential interpersonal skills such as assertiveness. Social phobia comprises several dimensions, namely fear of negative evaluation, avoidance of social situations, and physiological symptoms experienced during social interactions. Assertiveness is particularly important during young adulthood, a developmental stage characterized by increasing academic, social, and occupational demands. This study aimed to examine the impact of social phobia and its dimensions on assertiveness among young adults aged 18 to 25. Guided by Social Learning Theory, a quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. Data were collected from 203 young adults using convenience sampling method. Social phobia was measured using the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), which assesses fear, avoidance, and physiological dimensions, while assertiveness was assessed using the Simple Version of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (SRAS). Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the levels of social phobia and assertiveness. The results showed that the overall level of social phobia among young adults was moderate (M = 1.86), with fear recording the highest mean (M = 1.97), followed by avoidance (M = 1.90), and physiological symptoms (M = 1.69). The overall level of assertiveness was also moderate (M = 3.20). Regression analysis indicated that social phobia significantly predicted assertiveness, accounting for 47.8% of the variance. Among its dimensions, avoidance was the strongest predictor, explaining 45.4% of the variance, followed by fear (41.4%) and physiological symptoms (31.0%), indicating that greater social phobia symptoms are associated with reduced assertiveness. These results demonstrate that higher levels of social phobia and its dimensions are associated with lower assertiveness among young adults. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions focusing on reducing social phobia symptoms and strengthening assertiveness to enhance young adults’ social functioning, psychological well-being, and adjustment in academic and occupational contexts.