Social anxiety, physical exercise, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and social avoidance among junior high school students: a cross-sectional study

This study examined the cross-sectional associations of physical exercise (PE), regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE), and social avoidance (SAV) with social anxiety (SA) among junior high school students. A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 817 students from five junior high schools in Nanyang, Henan Province, China. PE, RESE, SAV, and SA were assessed using the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3, Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale, SAV dimension of the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, and Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, zero-order correlations, two-step hierarchical multiple linear regression with HC3 standard errors, and robustness and supplementary analyses. SA was negatively correlated with PE ( r = − 0.320, p < 0.001) and RESE ( r = − 0.330, p < 0.001), and positively correlated with SAV ( r = 0.434, p < 0.001). After adjustment for sex, grade, and household registration, PE (β = −0.174, p < 0.001) and RESE (β = −0.182, p < 0.001) were negatively associated with SA, whereas SAV was positively associated with SA (β = 0.322, p < 0.001). The final model explained 26.6% of the variance in SA. The directions of the main associations were unchanged after log-transforming PE and excluding potentially influential observations; SAV also remained associated with fear of negative evaluation in the alternative-outcome analysis. Efficacy in managing despondency or distress and efficacy in managing anger or irritation were negatively associated with SA, whereas efficacy in expressing positive affect was not independently significant. SA among junior high school students appears to be associated with multiple behavioral and psychological domains rather than a single factor, encompassing PE, RESE, and SAV. These findings highlight the importance of differentiated student assessment and support that considers PE participation, confidence in managing difficult emotions, and SAV-related behavior alongside SA symptoms.