Social Anxiety and Fear of Evaluation in Middle Schoolers

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Social Anxiety and Fear of Evaluation in Middle

Schoolers
Leslie Hunt
Recommended Citation
Hunt, Leslie, "Social Anxiety and Fear of Evaluation in Middle Schoolers" (2019). Masters Theses. 4455.
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Social Anxiety and Fear of Evaluation in Middle Schoolers
(TITLE)
BY
Leslie Hunt, B.A.
THESIS
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF
Clinical Psychology M.A.

IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS
2019
YEAR
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Fear of Evaluation 1
Leslie Hunt, B.A

Abstract
Social anxiety can have a significant effect on adults and adolescents alike, causing
significant distress and impairment. Fear of negative evaluation has been found to be
positively correlated to social anxiety in adults and adolescents. Thus, an individual who
has social anxiety tends to worry that they will be judged negatively by others in social
situations. More recently, fear of positive evaluation also has correlated positively to
social anxiety in adults (Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008); thus, adults with social
anxiety tend to also fear when they are given positive feedback, such as a compliment.
This study examines the links of social anxiety to both the fear of negative evaluation and
the fear of positive evaluation in an adolescent sample; social anxiety was related to both
fear of negative evaluation and fear of positive evaluation in this population. In addition,
this study adds to the literature by including a related type of anxiety - test anxiety,
which also has a social evaluative component. Specifically, this study examined whether
social anxiety acts as a moderator in the relationships between test anxiety and the fear of
negative and positive evaluation. This was supported for test anxiety and the fear of
negative evaluation however, was not supported for test anxiety and fear of positive
evaluation. Finally, suggestions for further research and clinical implications are
discussed.
\
Table of Contents
Title Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Abstract.............................................................................. 2
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
List of Tables . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . .. . . 5
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6
Social Anxiety in Adolescents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Fear of Evaluation.......................................................... 8
Fear of Negative Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 9
Fear of Positive Evaluation................................................ 10
Test Anxiety.................................................................. 13
Current Study and Hypotheses . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 15
Method................................................................................. 15
Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Procedure ............................................................................................ 16
Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Results . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . ... . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 19
Main Hypotheses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Discussion .................................................................................... 22
Limitations and Directions for Future Research ......................................... 25
Clinical Implications ........................................................................ 26
References ..................................................................................... 27
Tables .......................................................................................... 34
Appendix ....................................................................................... 41
List of Tables
Table 1: Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Table 2: Descriptive Statistics of Main Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . 35
Table 3: Zero-Order Correlations between Main Study Variables . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . ... 36
Table 4: Simultaneous Multiple Regression Analysis for Predictors of Test Anxiety.. 37
Table 5: Simultaneous Multiple Regression Analysis for Predictors of Test Anxiety .. 38
Table 6: Regression Analysis Summary for Predictors of Fear of Negative Evaluation.39
Table 7: Regression Analysis Summary for Predictors of Fear of Positive Evaluation ..40
Social interactions are commonplace in everyday life. For much of the
population these interactions conclude without incident. However, for individuals
with social anxiety, social interactions can be unsettling and cause negative
reactions. Individuals with social anxiety fear being evaluated in social settings.
Fear of negative evaluation has been shown to be correlated positively with social
anxiety in adults (Carleton, Collimore, McCabe, & Antony, 2011). In addition,
more recently, the fear of positive evaluation has been correlated positively with
social anxiety in adults (Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008). Little research
has been conducted to examine whether social anxiety is correlated with fear of
negative evaluation and/or fear of positive evaluation in adolescents. This paper
reviews the current literature on social anxiety and its link to the fear of negative
evaluation and the fear of positive evaluation. In addition, it considers a related
type of evaluation anxiety- test anxiety. Finally, it presents a study examining
these relationships in an adolescent sample.
Social Anxiety in Adolescents
Social anxiety involves fear of humiliation and being evaluated in social
situations (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It can result in persons
exhibiting severe avoidance of situations where they worry about being evaluated
or experiencing negative interactions (AP A, 2013). The fear can be so severe that
the individual may avoid any form of social interaction, which can disrupt to the
individuals' everyday life at work, school, or other social activities. The National
Institute of Mental Health (2017) posits that social anxiety has a prevalence rate of
9 .1 % in adolescents.
Social anxiety presents itself in diverse ways and in a variety of domains.
The individual fears being evaluated; this fear, coupled with physical symptoms
such as sweating, increased heart rate, and nausea can increase the individual's
anxiety. This pattern of symptoms can result in a cycle of increased fear causing
an increase in physical symptoms causing more subsequent anxiety. These social
situations may be at school, work, or interpersonal situations and can create
problems for the individuals' overall quality oflife (Beidel, Rao, Scharfstein,
Wong, & Alfano, 2010). Likewise, individuals with social anxiety tend to perceive
themselves to be low on the social scale and therefore behave submissively (Heery,
& Kring, 2007), which may exacerbate their fear of being embarrassed, humiliated,
or being socially evaluated.
Girls are twice as likely to experience social anxiety than are boys (RusCio,
Brown, Chiu, Sareen, Stein, & Kessler, 2008). The average age of onset is 13 years, with
75% of individuals having an onset between 8 to 15 years (APA, 2013). Notably, the
younger the adolescent is at onset the higher the association with other negative
outcomes, such as depression (Koyuncu et al., 2015). Thus, identifying possible triggers
for the onset of social anxiety, such as the fear of evaluation, is crucial in understanding
and preventing social anxiety.
Indeed, social anxiety is related to a number of negative outcomes for adolescents.
For example, adolescents who experience social anxiety are at an increased risk of
suicide (Rapp, Lau, & Chavira, 2017); 19 .9% of adolescents with social anxiety also have
a history of suicide ideation, compared to 7 .0% of adolescents without social anxiety
(Rapp et al., 2017). Other common issues associated with adolescents and anxiety are
low self-esteem, the desire to be accepted, and poor problem-solving abilities (Calancie,
Ewing, Narducci, Horgan, & Khalid-Kahn, 2017). Adolescents without social anxiety
can manage their emotions and strengthen relationships by interpreting and responding to
others in a supportive way (Hubbard & Dearing, 2004). The inability of adolescents who
experience social anxiety to respond in socially appropriate ways may create negative
outcomes with peers. The socially anxious adolescent may interpret a response
incorrectly which can cause a negative reaction and lead to peer rejection (Borowski,
Zeman, & Braunstein, 2018). Additionally, adolescents with social anxiety expect less
overall emotional support from their friends (LaGreca, & Harrison, 2005).
Socially anxious youths have less positive relationships (Pechorro, Ayala-Nunes,
Nunes, Maroco, Goncalves, 2016). Adolescents who receive support from parents,
guardians, teachers or other caregivers learn to trust that the caregiver will help in social
situations if needed. Due to this trust, adolescents gain confidence in their own ability to
navigate social situations (Ainsworth, 1989). However, adolescents who do not receive
support tend to avoid and fear social situations, which in tum may make them wary of
close interpersonal relationships (Brumariu & Kerns, 2008).
Fear of Evaluation
When a person fears evaluation, they worry that they will be judged in
social situations (Reichenberger, Smyth, & Blechert, 2017). For example, they are
concerned that others will think that they are socially awkward when starting a
conversation or appear nervous when giving a speech. Fear of evaluation has long
been posited to be a central construct of social anxiety (Clark & Well, 1995;
Rapee, & Heimberg, 1997). Specifically, social anxiety occurs on three
dimensions (physiological, behavioral, and cognitive), with evaluation falling in
the cognitive dimension (Capriola, Maddox, & White, 2017). Socially anxious
individuals have shown to respond differently to evaluation than non-socially
anxious individuals in these settings (Alden, Taylor, Mellings, & Laposa, 2008;
Bautista & Hope 2015; Wallace and Alden 1995).
There are multiple domains in which individuals are evaluated, including
occupational, school, home, and social settings. The thought of being evaluated
can lead to tremendous distress for persons with social anxiety. Social anxiety is
based in cognitions in which the individual fears behaving unfavorably in a public
setting (Clark & Wells, 1995). With regard to youngsters in middle schoolers (i.e.,
typically children in grades 6th to 81h), they are evaluated commonly by teachers,
parents, peers, and others. Not surprisingly, social evaluative fears increase during
this period (W estenburg, Drewes, Goedhart, Siebelink, & Treffers, 2004 ).
Adolescents at this age are more prone to perceive that they are the target of social
evaluation (Somerville, Jones, Ruberry, Dyke, Glover & Casey, 2013), perhaps due
to what Elkind and Bowen (1979) refer to as the "imaginary audience."
Adolescents become increasingly more egocentric, giving them the perception that
they are the center of attention to those around them (Elkind & Bowen 1979).
Fear of Negative Evaluation
The individual with social anxiety fears that those with whom the
individual interacts will evaluate him/her negatively, as this negative evaluation

can cause a decrease in the individual's social status. Individuals with social
anxiety create a biased image of themselves and focus primarily on the aspects that
have potential to be perceived negatively (Weeks, Rodebaugh, Heimberg, Norton,
& Jakatdar, 2009). Thus, the individual who experiences elevated levels of fear of
negative evaluation may avoid social situations.
These fears of negative evaluation increase during early adolescence (Essau,
Conradt, & Petermann, 1999; Westenberg, Drewes, Goedhart, Siebelink, & Treffers,
2004) and manifest in multiple domains of the adolescent's life, such as physical
competence and social status. For example, if an adolescent feels incompetent or that
others are judging him/her as incompetent, then the adolescent is less likely to engage in
physical activities (Ridgers, Fazey, & Fairclough, 2007). Given that adolescents spend a
majority of their time with peers, adolescents become more concerned with and react
differently in social settings where they think that they are being evaluated. Simply being
observed by a peer can lead to a heightened sense of negative evaluation for adolescents
I
(Sommerville, Jones, Ruberry, Dyke, Glover, & Casey, 2013).
In summary, a large body of research has confirmed that social anxiety is linked
to the fear of negative evaluation in both adults and adolescents (Capriola, Maddox, &
White, 2017). Thus, the most prominent cognitive models of social anxiety by Clark and
Wells (1995) and Heimberg and Rapee (1997) propose that the fear of negative
evaluation is a central construct in social anxiety. However, that may only be part of the
story when considering how the fear of evaluation is associated with social anxiety.
Fear of Positive evaluation

Fear of positive evaluation was first postulated by Weeks and colleagues
(Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008) as a distinct construct of social
anxiety. The individual in this situation fears being evaluated positively by those
with whom he/she interacts. In particular, the fear of positive evaluation means
that the individual worries about receiving positive evaluation in a social evaluative
situation. For example, someone with high levels of the fear of positive evaluation
would not like to be complimented on their selection of clothes or be given praise
on their recent speech in front of a class. We usually assume that people like to
receive compliments, so what is happening here?
The individual fears that the positive evaluation will create a standard that
the individual feels incapable ofliving up to subsequently. They worry that this
perceived inability to live up to this standard may lead to failure in the future,
which may then lead to a negative evaluation (Weeks, et al., 2008). So the person
may think: "My boss really loved how I handled that client problem; I know I'll
never be able to do things that well again when a problem comes up .... my boss is
going to really tear into me." In addition, the fear of positive evaluation causes the
individual to disqualify positive social outcomes (Weeks, 2010). Any positive
information that the individual receives can cause anxiety and/or discomfort
(Wallace & Alden, 1997) therefore, they develop alternative reasoning for success
that has little to do with their own abilities (Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh,
2008).
Importantly, the fear of positive evaluation seems to be a separate
component from the fear of negative evaluation. Specifically, the fear of positive
evaluation is not due simply to the fact that evaluation in general puts the person in
the spotlight, which makes someone with social anxiety uncomfortable.
Specifically, Weeks and colleagues (Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, Golden, &
Gross, 2012; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008) found that the fear
of positive evaluation accounts for a unique variance above and beyond fear of
negative evaluation.
Little research has examined the link between the fear of positive evaluation and
social anxiety in adolescents. Lipton, Augentstein, Weeks, and De Los Reyes (2013 ),
however, examined fear of evaluation in 37 adolescents (mean age- 15.1 years) and
found that social anxiety was correlated positively with both the fear of negative
evaluation and the fear of positive evaluation. For their study, they used the only
available measure, the Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale (Weeks, Heimberg, &
Rodebaugh, 2008), which is a 10-item scale. However, it should be noted that they
adapted the scale by excluding three items from the total score. Item 3 ("I try to choose
clothes that will give people little impression of what I am like") was excluded because
they thought that the adolescent and parents would disagree on what was appropriate
clothing. Item 5 ("If I have something to say that I think a group will find interesting, I
typically say it") and Item 10 ("I often feel underappreciated, and wish people would
comment more on my positive qualities) were excluded because they are reverse-scored,
and the authors thought they may be difficult for adolescents to understand.
To our knowledge, Lipton and colleagues (2013) is the only published study to
date that has examined the fear of evaluation in a non-adult sample. Thus, there is still
much about this topic that needs to be studied. For example, is the fear of positive
evaluation related to other, similar situations involving social evaluation, such as test
anxiety?
Test Anxiety
Test anxiety is the term used to describe the worry, tension, and/or
apprehension that a student may experience while taking a test (Lowe, 2014). Test
anxiety has often been conceptualized as a form of social anxiety, as 75.2% of
youth who experience social anxiety also fear testing situations. For example, if a
student does poorly on an exam, then they may fear that their parents may be
disappointed or their teacher may make negative comments about their
performance in front of others.
Test and test taking are a huge part of school for youngsters. Students take
approximately 23 standardized tests from 1st through gth grade. (Wren & Benson,
2004.) The No Child Left Behind Act of2001, for example, created an
environment in which schools each year are expected to demonstrate increasing
test scores to receive funding. This additional testing may create anxiety in
students. Approximately 9% of students in third through fifth grades experience
high test anxiety while doing assessments, and an additional 59% report moderate
levels of anxiety (Segool, Carlson, Goforth, Von Der Embse, & Barterian, 2013).
Middle school aged children have also shown performance anxiety in test taking.
Highly anxious children worry about how they will perform in comparison to
peers. This worry often results in lower test scores (Nottlemann, & Hill, 1977).
Test anxiety can have a negative effect on a student's academic career.
Concentration while taking tests is poorer for students who experience high levels of test
anxiety than for students with low levels oftest anxiety (Wren & Benson, 2004). When a
student with elevated levels of test anxiety is taking a test, they may react more to
distractions, such as another student tapping a pencil. They may get distracted easier by
other students passing in the halls; whereas the student with low levels of test anxiety
may not be concerned with the tapping or may not even notice other students passing in
the halls. Ultimately, this anxiety and poor concentration can lead to more frustration and
lower test scores. Increases in negative cognition also could be a contributing factor to
test taking anxiety. The thought process that a student experiences while taking a test
could relate to lower test scores. The student's fear that they will do poorly on a test or
will get a bad grade create further negative influences on an individuals' ability to
perform well on a test.
To date, only one study to our knowledge has examined test anxiety and fear of
both negative and positive evaluation. Using a sample of college students, Allan, Howe,
Turker, and Board (2015) found that test anxiety was correlated positively with the fear
of negative evaluation but not to the fear of positive evaluation. The author posited that,
although test anxiety is related to social anxiety, there are some differences. Specifically,
part of the anxiety of test taking is more future oriented, as one is not usually given
immediate feedback. Thus, it may be important to take into account the aspect of test
anxiety that is specifically related to social anxiety when considering these relationships.
Current Study and Hypotheses
At this point, the growing research on social anxiety and its link to the fear of
positive evaluation has focused almost exclusively on adults. The one study that has
examined this topic in adolescents was promising and merits further examination (Allan,
et al., 2015). Specifically, the current study used a slightly younger, middle school
population. This age range is important because the initial onset of social anxiety is
typically in early adolescence (AP A, 2013). An additional component of this study is to
explore whether test anxiety is related to fear of evaluation, both negative and positive, in
middle schoolers. Based on the results from Allan and colleagues (2015), it appears that
social anxiety plays a role in this process; thus, social anxiety is examined as a possible
moderator for the link between test anxiety and both fear of negative and positive
evaluation in middle schoolers. The following hypotheses were examined:
Hypothesis 1): Social anxiety will be correlated positively with fear of negative
evaluation in a middle school sample.
Hypothesis 2): Social anxiety will be correlated positively with fear of positive
evaluation in a middle school sample.
Hypothesis 3): Social anxiety will act as a moderator in the relationship between
test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation in a middle school sample.
Hypothesis 4): Social anxiety will act as a moderator in the relationship between
test anxiety and fear of positive evaluation in a middle school sample.
Method
Participants
Participants were recruited from students at Charleston Middle School in
Charleston, Illinois. Students at the school are in the seventh and eighth grades. Parental
consent forms were sent home with the students and collected by their Physical
Education teachers. In addition, each student signed an assent form before being allowed
to participate. A final sample of 110 \young adolescents was obtained. An a priori power
analysis using G*Power indicated that, with a medium effect size of .15 (alpha= .05;
standard power level = .80) 77 participants were needed to ensure adequate power.
Demographic information is summarized in Table 1. With regard to grade, 29%
(n = 32) were in the 7th grade and 71 % (n = 78) were in the 8th grade; participants ranged
from 12 to 14 years in age. In terms of sex, 62% (n = 68) were girls, 37% (n = 41) were
boys, and 1 participant did not identify their sex (which also was not obvious based on
their name). The sample identified as primarily "White/Caucasian" 86.4%, (n = 95), with
8.2% (n = 9) identifying as "Black/African-American" and 4% (n = 4) identifying as
"Hispanic/Latino."
Procedure
Students completed the demographic form (requesting student age, grade, and
race/ethnicity) as well as a packet of questionnaires. The questionnaires were read aloud
by this author to small groups of students during the 40-minute Physical Education
classes. One other graduate student assisted by making sure that the students were not
falling behind and by helping any children who encountered difficulties.
This study was supported by an EIU Student Impact Grant for Faculty Members;
thus, participating students were entered into a drawing to win one of four $25 Wal-Mart
gift cards. In addition, for their assistance, the Physical Education teachers were gifted
sports equipment to use in their courses, including a Maxi-Net, three packages of Carlton
T-800 Shuttlecocks, and a set of 6-8" Gator Skin Foam Balls.

Measures
Social Anxiety. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN; Connor, Davidson,
Churchill, Sherwood, Foa, & Webster, 2000) is a 17-item self-report questionnaire that
measures social anxiety. The SPIN uses statements that are rated determining how much
the statement applies over the past week. Sample items include: "I am bothered by
. blushing in front of other people" and "I avoid speaking to anyone in authority." Each
item is rated from 0 ("Not at all") to 4 ("Extremely"), with higher scores indicative of
greater social anxiety. The SPIN demonstrates good internal consistency, test-retest
reliability, and convergent and divergent validity (Connor, Davidson, Churchill,
Sherwood, Foa, & Weisler, 2000). This scale has been used in an adolescent sample and
showed strong, internal consistency, and construct validity suggesting it is appropriate to
use for an adolescents (Johnson, Inderbitzen-Nolan, Anderson, 2006).
Fear of Negative Evaluation. The Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE;
Leary, 1983) is a 12-item self-report questionnaire that measures the fear of negative
evaluation. The BFN uses a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 ("not at all
characteristic of me") to 5 ("entirely characteristic of me"). The points from each
question are then summed to determine an overall score, with higher scores indicative of
higher levels of fear of negative evaluation. Sample items include: "I am unconcerned
even if I know people are forming an unfavorable impression of me" and "I often worry
that I will say or do the wrong things." The BFNE has been found to exhibit excellent
internal consistency (Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, Golden, & Gross, 2012) as well as
good construct validity (Rodebaugh, Woods, Thissen, Heimberg, Chambless, & Rapee,
2004) and strong clinical utility (Leary, 1983).

Fear of Positive Evaluation. The Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale (FPES;
Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, 2008) is a 10-item self-report questionnaire that measures
fear of positive evaluation, a component of social anxiety. The FPES uses a 10-point
scale Likert scale, with items 5 and 10 being reverse-scored. The points from each
question are then summed to determine an overall score. On a scale of 0 ("not at all true")
to 9 ("very true"), the individual selects the degree to which the individual can relate to
the item. Sample items include "I am uncomfortable exhibiting my talents to others, even
if I think my talents will impress them" and "I often feel under-appreciated and wish
people would comment more on my positive qualities." Scores for each item are added
for a total score, with higher scores indicative of greater levels of fear of positive
evaluation. The FPES demonstrates both internal consistency (Weeks, Heimberg, &
Rodebaugh, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg,
Rodebaugh, Golden, & Gross, 2012) as well as test-retest reliability (Weeks, Heimberg,
Rodebaugh, & Norton, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, Golden, & Gross, 2012) in
an undergraduate sample. Convergent validity was also supported in the undergraduate
sample (Weeks, Heimberg, & Rodebaugh, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, &
Norton, 2008; Weeks, Heimberg, Rodebaugh, Golden, & Gross, 2012).
Test Anxiety. The Child Test Attitude Survey {CTAS; Wren & Benson, 2004) is
a 30-item self-report questionnaire that measures how a student feels or thinks in test
taking situations. Items are summed to determine an overall score, with higher scores
reflecting greater levels of anxiety in test situations. On a scale of 1 ("almost never") to 4
("almost always"), the student circles the statement that best describes the way the
student feels or thinks while taking tests. Sample items include: "While I am taking tests
I play with my pencil" and "While I am taking tests I think about what will happen if I
fail." The CTAS has demonstrated reliability when assessing student test anxiety (Wren
& Benson, 2004).
Results
Cronbach's alphas were calculated for each of the main study scales (See Table
2), with values within the acceptable range (a= .73 or higher). Skewness and kurtosis
also were within the acceptable range, with no value exceeding one. To examine the
degree of anxiety in the sample, cut-off score were examined for the scale measuring
social anxiety (SPIN). Specifically, a cut-off score of 19 or higher on the SPIN has been
identified as indicative oflikely social phobia (Connor et al., 2000.) Based on this cut-off
score, 57 participants (52%) had scores indicating likely social phobia. Correlations
between main study variables also were examined (see Table 3). Of interest, FNE was
correlated positively with FPE (r = .52, p < .001) and social anxiety was correlated
positively with test anxiety (r = .45, p < .001 ). Given that girls are more likely to
experience social anxiety than are boys (c.f., RusCio, et al., 2008), at-test was conducted
on our sample. At an alpha level of .05, results showed that I this middle school sample,
girls reported higher levels of social anxiety (M = 23.84, SD= 11.61) than boys (M =
17 .83, SD= 11.31 ), t(l 07) = 2.64, p = .009 (two-tailed), similar to prior research.
Main Hypotheses
Hypothesis 1 predicted a positive correlation between social anxiety and FNE in
middle school students, which was supported (r = .58,p < .001). Hypothesis 2 predicted
a positive correlation between social anxiety and FPE, which was supported (r = .58, p <
.001 ). Hypothesis 3 predicted a positive correlation between test anxiety and FNE in
middle school students, which was supported (r = .46,p < .001).
In addition, Hypothesis 3 predicted that social anxiety would act as a moderator in
the relationship between test anxiety and FNE in middle school students. This hypothesis
was supported (See Table 4); social anxiety and FNE were entered into the same step of a
regression equation predicting test anxiety. At an alpha level of 0.05, the relationship
between the main effects and test anxiety was found to be significant, (R 2 = .26, F(2, 107)
= 18.78,p < 0.01). FNE had a significant effect on test anxiety, (/J = .30,p =.005). This
effect explained 8.8% of the variance in test anxiety. Additionally, social anxiety had a
significant effect on test anxiety, (/J = .28,p =.008), and explained 7.6% of the variance
in test anxiety. An interaction variable was created by centralizing social anxiety and
FNE and then multiplying them together. The moderator variable was then added to the
regression equation and explained 2.7% of the variance (R 2 = .29, F(3, 106) = 14.16,p <
.001) indicating that social anxiety does significantly moderate the relationship between
FNE and test anxiety (/J = .17, p = .05). The beta for moderation was positive, indicating
that higher levels of social anxiety are associated with a stronger relationship between
FNE and test anxiety.
Hypothesis 4 predicted a positive correlation between test anxiety and FPE in
middle school students, which was supported (r = .42, p < .001 ). In addition, Hypothesis
4 predicted that social anxiety would act as a moderator in the relationship between test
anxiety and FPE in middle school students (See Table 5). Social anxiety and FPE were
entered into the same step of a regression equation predicting test anxiety. At an alpha
level of 0.05, the relationship between the main effects and test anxiety was found to be
significant, (R 2 = .24, F(2, 107) = 16.82,p < 0.01). FPE had a significant effect on test
anxiety, (/J = .24,p =.02). This effect explained 5.7% of the variance in test anxiety.
Additionally, social anxiety had a significant effect on test anxiety, (/J = .31, p =.003),
and explained 9.6% of the variance in test anxiety. An interaction variable was created
by centralizing social anxiety and FPE and then multiplying them together. The
interaction variable was then added to the regression equation but did not add predictive
value, (/J = .90, p =.30) and explained .06 % of the variance (R 2 = .25, F(3, 106) = 11.58,
p < .001) thus indicating that social anxiety does not moderate the relationship between
FPE and test anxiety.
In addition to analyses for our main hypotheses, exploratory analyses were
conducted to further examine these data. For example, given that social anxiety and test
anxiety are correlated as are FNE and FPE, we wanted to try to parse apart these
relationships further. Specifically, we wanted to try to answer the question of whether
social anxiety and test anxiety have unique relationships with FNE and FPE. First, we
sought to determine the predictors of FNE (see Table 6). Using linear regression, we
found that fear FPE (/J = .22, p = .019), social anxiety (/J = .36, p < .001 ), and test anxiety
(p = .20, p = .019) were significant predictors of fear of negative evaluation. Second, we
sought to determine the predictors of FPE (see Table 7). Using linear regression, we
found that both FNE (p = .23,p = .02) and social anxiety (/J = .39,p < .001) were
predictors of fear of positive evaluation; however, test anxiety (p = .18,p = .02) was not.
Discussion
This study examined the relationships of two forms of anxiety (social and test
anxiety) and two forms of evaluation (fear of negative evaluation and fear of positive
evaluation) in middle school students. Although numerous studies have examined these
relationships in adults, this research is limited in adolescents, particularly regarding fear
of positive evaluation. In this section we will discuss the findings, and how these
findings compare with previous research. The limitations of the research as well as ideas
for future research will be discussed. Finally, this paper will focus on the impact that
these findings have on evaluative situations with a middle school population.
FNE was correlated positively with social anxiety as well as test anxiety. Prior
research has supported the relationship between social anxiety and FNE in both adults
and adolescents (Capriola et al., 2017). The individual with social anxiety may fear
being viewed negatively in social settings which may cause them to avoid standing out in
social settings. The individual may be scared to raise their hand in class despite knowing
the answer to a question or may avoid giving a speech despite it being a portion of their
grade.
Fear of negative evaluation plays a significant role in Clark and Well's (1995)
cognitive model of social anxiety. Individuals with social anxiety do their best to avoid
situations in which they may be socially evaluated. When they do interact in social
situations, they begin to activate negative assumptions, such as 'people are going to think
I am stupid' or 'I don't know what I am talking about.' This tendency may lead them to
perceive that they are in danger in relatively harmless social situations. Due to this
perceived danger, they may become hyper aware of bodily reactions, such as increase in
heart rate or sweating. They may attempt to hide these symptoms by trying to stand very
rigid, which may in the process make the symptoms worse, and thus creating a negative
cycle further increasing their fear of social situations.

During middle school, youngsters experience a period in their lives where they
are trying to understand their place in the world based on Erickson's (1963) Stages of
Psychosocial Development. Successfully navigating this stage of their lives can result in
developing competence in their ability to achieve and learn to trust those around them;
however, if they are unable to successfully develop competence, then they may feel
inferior to others. Social anxiety can further increase the youngsters feeling of
inferiority, especially if the perceived negative evaluation may further reduce their social
rank (Parker, Rubin, Erath, Wojslawowicz, & Buskirk, 2006).
A separate, but arguably important construct of social anxiety, fear of positive
evaluation may make one think that by being evaluated positively they are challenging
another's social rank in a public spotlight (Lipton et.al., 2014). During middle school
years when adolescents are struggling to fit in positive interactions with peers are
important, negative interactions can often lead to harmful effects (Wentzel, 2002). In
middle school there is often a power struggle in which students attempt to demonstrate
social power and popularity to gain higher social status (Rodkin, Espelage, Hanish,
2015). For a middle school student that fears disrupting this status quo, when given a
compliment on their outfit, then they may think that someone they view as popular, or
one of the "cool kids," may see this as a challenge.
Additionally, for the middle schooler who fears positive evaluation, if they
receive praise for a job well done, then they may be worried about their ability to perform
at this level again. Essentially, the positive evaluation may increase their fear of future
failure (Weeks, et al., 2008). For example, if the student does well on a book report, then
they may think that the good grade is a fluke or the result of the teacher going easy on
them. The student will not accept that they actually did well or that they are competent
enough to do well again and may assume that in the future the teacher will be
disappointed in their work.
Test anxiety is closely related to social anxiety and has been conceptualized by
some as a component of social anxiety (c.f., Sarason, 1975; McDonald, 2001). Test
anxiety is correlated positively with social anxiety in adults (Allan et al., 2014) as well as
adolescents (Segool et al., 2013). By the time a student gets through eighth grade, they
have taken approximately two dozen standardized tests. Students are told that these tests
are to show progression of their competence primarily in math and reading, and how well
they are doing in comparison to their peers as well as other students throughout their state
(Madaus, 1988; Howard, Woodcock, Ehrich, & Bokosmaty, 2017). The results of these
tests have a significant impact not only on the student but also on the funding that the
school receives (William, 2010). Due to the importance of the results of these tests for the
school students are strongly encouraged to do well. The push for better test scores as
well as the abundance of testing can create test anxiety in students.
Fear of negative evaluation was positively correlated with test anxiety, suggesting
that a student who has test anxiety also experiences fear of being evaluated negatively in
evaluative settings. In addition to the pressure put on the student by the school to do well
is the pressure of being compared to their peers. If a student does poorly on a test, then
they may think that other students may call them stupid or make fun of them.
Conversely, a student who fears positive evaluation may be concerned if they do too well
on a test. A student who performs well on a test may think that they got lucky. The
student may be worried that they will not do so well on the next test and that they will
ultimately fail as they cannot live up to the expectations of receiving a good grade in the
future. A teacher may cause further anxiety if they acknowledge the student's
performance in front of fellow classmates. For example, when a student gets the highest
grade on an exam and the teacher praises them in front of the class, the student may fear
the reaction of other students.
Limitations and Directions for Future Research
A few limitations merit discussion. The sample largely lacked diversity and was
primarily Caucasian (87%); however, this sample is similar to the make-up of the
community from which the sample was taken, which according to the 2018 census was
90.4% Caucasian.
The measure for test anxiety, the Children's Test Anxiety Scale, is intended for
students in 3rd through 6th grades, which is slightly younger than the participants in the
current study, who were in the 7th and 8th grade. Therefore, some questions on the scale
may have been somewhat immature in nature for our middle school sample. Indeed, the
current researcher observed some participants laughing during questions such as "While
taking tests my belly feels funny." In addition, there are limited data on the reliability and
validity of the CTAS. Likewise, there is limited reliability and validity data concerning
the use of the scales for FNE and FPE with a non-adult sample. The scales may not have
captured the unique social situations in which middle schoolers are often involved.
As stated previously in this paper, little research has examined the link between
social anxiety and FPE in an adolescent population. Given that the average age of onset
for social anxiety is during this time frame, a significant amount of information can be
learned about the progression of social anxiety in various social evaluative situations.
Examining these relations in a younger sample, for example, may help delineate whether
fear of evaluation predates the onset of social anxiety.
Finally, the examination of test anxiety with regard to fear of evaluation is a
relatively new area. Test anxiety is highly related to social anxiety, but there are some
differences that may be important when examining these relationships further.
Specifically, it may be fruitful to adapt the Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale (FPES) to be
more attuned to testing situations. For example, the items on this adapted scale could
focus much more on academic and test-taking situations.
Clinical Implications
This research supports that middle schoolers with social anxiety may also fear
being evaluated positively. Thus, they may avoid socially evaluative situations in which
they may receive praise. Given the potential importance of FPE in this diagnostic picture
suggests that clinicians need to consider FPE as well as FNE. Clearly, cognitive behavior
therapy (CBT) has long addressed fear of negative evaluation, as FNE is an important
component of Clark and Well's model of social anxiety. However, fear of positive
evaluation has not been incorporated into CBT. When working with youngsters with
social anxiety, the findings of this study suggest that FPE should aso be addressed as a
"cognitive distortion." For example, having youngsters examine the validity of fearing
positive evaluation may be beneficial, such as their thoughts that being evaluated
positively sets up unrealistic beliefs for which they will not be able to live up to in the
future.
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Table 1
Sex n
Girls 68
Boys 41
Did not disclose
Race
Asian/Asian American 0
Black/African American 9
Hispanic/Latino 4
White/Caucasian 95
Other 2
Grade
7th 32
8th 78
Age
12 years 24
13 years 54
14 years 32
Table 2
Descriptive Statistics ofMain Scales
M SD Range a Skew Kurtosis
Fear of Negative 30.48 8.30 48 .77 .31 .36

Evaluation
Fear of Positive 25.10 14.94 62 .73 .36 -.58

Evaluation
21.82 12.02 60 .90 .53 .02
Social Anxiety
Test Anxiety 64.23 16.83 74 .93 .56 -.26
Note. Fear of Negative Evaluation= Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation; Fear of Positive
Evaluation= Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale; Social Anxiety= Social Phobia
Inventory; Test Anxiety= Children's Test Anxiety Scale.
Table 3
Zero-Order Correlations between Main Study Variables
Measure 2 3 4
I. Fear of Negative Evaluation
2. Fear of Positive Evaluation .52*
3. Social Anxiety .58* .58*
4. Test Anxiety .46* .42* .45*
Note. Fear of Negative Evaluation= Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation; Fear of Positive
Evaluation= Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale; Social Anxiety= Social Phobia
Inventory; Test Anxiety= Children's Test Anxiety Scale.
*p < .001
Table 4
Simultaneous Multiple Regression Analysis for Predictors of Test Anxiety
Variable B SEE fJ t p
Fear of Negative .61 .21 .30 2.99 .003

Evaluation
Social Anxiety .33 .14 .24 2.31 .02
Fear of Negative .03 .01 .17 1.98 .05

Evaluation X Social
Anxiety
Note. R 2 = .29; adjusted R 2 = .27

Table 5
Simultaneous Multiple Regression Analysis for Predictors of Test Anxiety
Variable B SEB fl t p
Fear of Positive .26 .12 .23 2.20 .03

Evaluation
Social Anxiety .42 .15 .29 2.87 .005
Fear of Positive .007 .007 .09 1.04 .30

Evaluation X Social
Anxiety
Note. R 2 = .25; adjusted R2 = .23

Table 6
Regression Analyses Summary for Predictors of Fear ofNegative Evaluation
Variable B SEE p t p
Fear of Positive .12 .05 .22 2.381 .019

Evaluation
Social Anxiety .25 .07 .36 3.834 .000
Test Anxiety .10 .04 .20 2.377 .019
Note. Social Anxiety= Social Phobia Inventory; Test Anxiety= Children's Test Anxiety
Scale. Note. R 2 = .42
Table 7
Regression Analyses Summary for Predictors ofFear ofPositive Evaluation
Variable B SEB /3 t p
Fear of Negative .41 .17 .23 2.381 .02

Evaluation
Social Anxiety .48 .12 .39 4.026 .000
Test Anxiety .13 .08 .14 1.619 .011
Note. Social Anxiety= Social Phobia Inventory; Test Anxiety= Children's Test Anxiety
Scale. Note. R 2 = .40
Appendix
Social Phobia Inventory
Initials ___Age _ _ _ _ _sex _ _ _ _ _ _Date _ _ID#_ __

Please check how much the following problems have bothered you during the past week. Mark only one
box for each problem and be sure to answer all items.
Not at all A little Somewhat Very bit

much Extreme)
I. I am afraid of people in authority. 0 I 2 3 4
2. I am bothered by blushing in front of people. 0 l 2 3 4
3. Parties and social events scare me. 0 I 2 3 4
4. I avoid talking to people I don't know. 0 I 2 3 4
5. Being criticized scares me a lot. 0 I 2 3 4
6. Fear of embarrassment causes me to avoid doing
things or speaking to people. 0 I 2 3 4
7. Sweating in front of people causes me distress. 0 I 2 3 4
8. I avoid going to parties. 0 I 2 3 4
9. I avoid activities in which am the center of attention. 0 I 2 3 4
10. Talking to strangers scares me. 0 I 2 3 4
11. I avoid having to give speeches. 0 I 2 3 4
12. I would do anything to avoid being criticized. 0 I 2 3 4
13. Heart palpitations bother me when I am around people. 0 I 2 3 4

14. I am afraid of doing things when people might be
watching. 0 l 2 3 4
15. Being embarrassed or looking stupid are my worst
fears. 0 l 2 3 4
16. I avoid speaking to anyone in authority. 0 l 2 3 4
17. Trembling or shaking in front of others is
distressing to me.
0 l 2 3 4
From Connor K.. Davidson J.. Churchill L., Sherwood A.. Foa Weisler R., "Psychometnc properties of the Social Phobia
Inventory".
Br J Psychiatry 2000: 176:379-86.

02000 JR- Davidson
Children's Test Attitude Survey
Circle the answers that best describe or tell about you.
1. I am a .... boy girl
2. Circle your grade ... 6th 7th gth
3. I am .... American Indian Asian Black Hispanic/Latino White Other
Sample - Please read the following statement and decide if it describes the way you are
while you are taking tests. If the statement is almost never or~ like you, you should
circle L If the statement describes the way you are most of the time circle J.. If the
statement is almost always or always like you, circle ~-
ALMOST SOME MOST OF ALMOST

NEVER OF THE THE ALWAYS
TIME TIME
While I am taking tests ...
I think about doing other things. 1 2 3 4
The rest of the items describe how some students may think, feel, or act while
they are taking tests. Please read each statement carefully and decide if the statement
describes how you think, feel, or act during a test. Then circle the answer that best
describes the way you are while taking a test. If you are not sure which answer to circle
read the statement again before circling your answer. Remember that there are no "right"
or "wrong" answers on this survey. Please give truthful answers.

ALMOST SOME MOST OF

ALMOST
NEVER OF THE THE

ALWAYS
TIME TIME
1. I wonder if I will pass. 1 2 3
2. My heart beats fast. 1 2 3
3. I look around the room. 1 2 3
4. I feel nervous. 1 2 3
5. I think I am going to get a bad grade. 1 2 3
ALMOST SOME MOST OF

ALMOST
NEVER OF THE THE

ALWAYS
TIME TIME
6. It is hard for me to remember the answers. 1 2 3
7. I play with my pencil. 1 2 3
4
8. My face feels hot. 1 2 3
9. I worry about failing. 1 2 3
10. My belly feels funny. 1 2 3
ALMOST SOME MOST OF

ALMOST
NEVER OF THE THE

ALWAYS
TIME TIME
11. I worry about doing something wrong. 1 2 3
12. I check the time. 1 2 3
13. I think about what my grade will be. 1 2 3
14. I find it hard to sit still. 1 2 3
15. I wonder if my answers are right. 1 2 3
ALMOST SOME MOST OF

ALMOST
NEVER OF THE THE

ALWAYS
TIME TIME
16. I think that I should have studied more. 1 2 3
17. My head hurts. 1 2 3
18. I look at other people. 1 2 3
19. I think most of my answers are wrong. 1 2 3
20. I feel warm. 1 2 3
ALMOST SOME MOST OF

ALMOST
NEVER OF THE THE

ALWAYS
TIME TIME
21. I worry about how hard the test is. 1 2 3
22. I try to finish up fast. 1 2 3
23. My hand shakes. 1 2 3
4
24. I think about what will happen if I fail. 1 2 3
25. I have to go to the bathroom. 1 2 3
ALMOST SOME MOST OF

ALMOST
NEVER OF THE THE

ALWAYS
TIME TIME
26. I tap my feet. 1 2 3
27. I think about how poorly I am doing. 1 2 3
28. I feel scared. 1 2 3
29. I worry about what my parents will say. 1 2 3
30. I stare. 1 2 3
4
Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale

Read each of the following statements carefully and answer the degree to which you feel
the statement is characteristic of you, using the following scale (circle one number from
0 to 9). For each statement, respond as though it involves people that you do not know
very well. Please fill in only one bubble for each statement.
I. I am uncomfortable exhibiting my talents to others, even if I think my talents will

impress them.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
2. It would make me anxious to receive a compliment from someone that I am

attracted to.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
3. I try to choose clothes that will give people little impression of what I am like.
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
4. I feel uneasy when I receive praise from authority figures.
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
5. If I have something to say that I think a group will find interesting, I typically say
it.
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
6. I would rather receive a compliment from someone when that person and I were
alone than when in the presence of others.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
7. If I was doing something well in front of others, I would wonder whether I was
doing
"too well".
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
8. I generally feel uncomfortable when people give me compliments.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
9. I don't like to be noticed when I am in public places, even ifl feel as though I am
being admired.
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10. I often feel under-appreciated, and wish people would comment more on my
positive qualities.
0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale

Leary (1983)
Read each of the following statements carefully and indicate

how characteristic it is of you according to the following
scale:
I =Not at all characteristic of me

2 = Slightly characteristic of me
3 = Moderately characteristic of me
4 =Very characteristic of me
5 = Extremely characteristic of me
I. I worry about what other people will think of me even when I know it doesn't make
any difference.
2. I am unconcerned even ifl know people are forming an unfavorable impression of me.
3. I am frequently afraid of other people noticing my shortcomings.
4. I rarely worry about what kind of impression I am making on someone.
5. I am afraid others will not approve of me.
_ _ 6. I am afraid that people will find fault with me.
_ _ 7. Other people's opinions of me do not bother me.
_ _ 8. When I am talking to someone, I worry about what they may be thinking about me.
_ _ 9. I am usually worried about what kind of impression I make.
_ _ IO. Ifl know someone is judging me, it has little effect on me.
_ _ 11. Sometimes I think I am too concerned with what other people think of me.
_ _ 12. I often worry that I will say or do the wrong things.
From: Leary, M. R. (1983). A brief version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Personality and
Social Psychology Bulletin, 9, 371-376.
Demographic Questionnaire
Age: _ _ _ _ _ __
Grade: _ _ _ _ _ __
Gender (select one):

Female
Male
Other: _ _ _ _ __
Race/ethnicity (select one):
Black/African American
Asian American
Hispanic/Latino
White/Caucasian
Other: - - - - - - - -

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