249. An investigation into the mechanisms underlying the influence of online social media dependency on real-world social anxiety among university students

Abstract Background With the deep integration of online social media, dependency on such platforms has become increasingly prevalent among university students. However, the pathways through which this dependency influences real-world social anxiety remain unclear. Existing research predominantly focuses on simple correlations between the two, lacking in-depth exploration of the underlying mechanisms. This study examines the influence of online social dependency on real-world social anxiety among university students, with a particular focus on investigating the mediating roles of social self-efficacy and perceived real-world social skills. This aims to reveal the psychological mechanism underpinning how online behaviour shapes offline anxiety. Methods A cross-sectional survey combined with structural equation modelling was employed. Convenience sampling was used to collect questionnaire responses from 892 enrolled students across three comprehensive universities. Measurement instruments comprised: the Online Social Media Dependency Scale (assessing affective immersion, excessive use, and withdrawal symptoms); the Real-life Social Anxiety Scale (measuring anxiety and avoidance tendencies in face-to-face situations); the Social Self-Efficacy Scale (evaluating confidence in successfully navigating real-life social interactions); and the Perceived Real-life Social Skills Scale (measuring individuals' self-assessment of verbal and non-verbal communication abilities). Common method bias tests and correlation analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0, while structural equation modelling employing Mplus 8.3 was used to examine parallel mediating effects. Results As shown in Table 1, online social dependency exhibited a significant positive correlation with real-world social anxiety (p<.001). Structural equation modelling revealed that, controlling for gender and year of study, online social dependency not only directly predicted real-world social anxiety (β = 0.18, p<.01) but also exerted indirect effects via two mediating pathways. Firstly, via a mediating pathway reducing social self-efficacy (indirect effect = 0.15, 95% CI [0.10, 0.21]). Secondly, via a mediating pathway diminishing perceived real-world social skills (indirect effect = 0.11, 95% CI [0.07, 0.16]). The combined indirect effects of these two mediating pathways accounted for 59.5% of the total effect size. Discussion Online social dependency serves as a significant risk factor in predicting social anxiety among university students, primarily by eroding individuals' confidence in their social abilities (self-efficacy) and their assessment of actual social skills (perceived competence). Excessive immersion in online socialising may indirectly deplete psychological resources for offline interactions and undermine confidence in behavioural capabilities. Preventive and interventional strategies for real-world social anxiety among university students should prioritise assessing their online usage patterns. Targeted cognitive behavioural training should enhance their social self-efficacy and perception of real-world skills to disrupt the vicious cycle from dependency to anxiety. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to further validate this causal chain. Funding No. 2025VSZ011.