The Impact of Parasocial Relationships and Subjective Economic Status on Online Social Anxiety and Peer Loneliness Among Freshmen from the Perspective of Uncertainty Reduction Theory: An Empirical Study Based on Network Analysis

This study explored the network structural relationships among parasocial relationships, subjective economic status, online social anxiety, and peer loneliness in freshmen (N=385). Gender difference analysis revealed that females scored significantly higher than males in online social anxiety (social recognition anxiety, interaction anxiety, privacy anxiety) and peer loneliness (p<0.05), while males scored significantly higher in parasocial relationships (cognitive, emotional, behavioral dimensions; p<0.01). Further network analysis showed that the emotional dimension of parasocial relationships was negatively correlated with online interaction anxiety (weight = -0.03), and subjective economic status was negatively correlated with social anxiety (weight = -0.06) and peer loneliness (weight = -0.11, more pronounced in females). Social recognition anxiety (e.g., fear of others’ evaluations) emerged as the most central node (highest strength centrality) in the network. This study is the first to integrate uncertainty reduction theory with network analysis, revealing dynamic associations among variables and providing precise intervention targets (e.g., key node interventions) for college students’ mental health. Future research could longitudinally track network evolution or conduct cross-cultural comparisons to validate generalizability.