Open Access

ARTICLE

Social anxiety and non-suicidal self-injury in college students: Loneliness mediation and positive coping moderation

Yang He^1,#, Tao Xu^2,#, Jian Yang³, Shuang Li⁴, Yiqian Xie⁵, Wenqin Chen^6,7,*, Dong Wang^8,*

1 School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
2 Psychology Section, Secondary Sanatorium of Air Force Healthcare Center for Special Services, Hangzhou, 310007, China
3 Mental Health Education Center, Yiyang Normal College, Yiyang, 413000, China
4 Center of Student Mental Health Education, Yangtze University, Wuhan, 430100, China
5 Xi’an Changli Oil & Gas Engineering & Technical Services Co., Xi’an, 714000, China
6 School of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
7 Teacher Education College, Hunan City University, Yiyang, 413000, China
8 Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Suzhou Mental Health Center, Suzhou Guangji Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 415100, China

* Corresponding Authors: Wenqin Chen. Email: ; Dong Wang. Email:
# These authors contributed equally to this work

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2025, 35(6), 731-738. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.074914

Received 29 January 2025; Accepted 31 October 2025; Issue published 30 December 2025

Abstract

We examined positive coping styles and loneliness effects on the relationship between social anxiety and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors among young adults. A sample of 1129 Chinese college students (females = 42.52%; mean age = 20.00 years, SD = 1.61 years; 53.32% from rural areas) completed the Chinese Revised Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Adolescent Non-suicidal Self-injury Assessment Questionnaire (ANSSIAQ). Controlling for gender, age, onlychild status, and residence, regression analysis revealed that social anxiety is associated with higher levels of NSSI behaviors. Loneliness mediated this relationship, making it more pronounced. Positive coping styles moderated the effect of social anxiety on loneliness. Specifically, high levels of positive coping attenuated the social anxiety effect on loneliness. This study affirms Nock’s integrated theoretical model of NSSI, demonstrating that social anxiety (an interpersonal vulnerability factor) and limited positive coping (an intrapersonal vulnerability factor) are significant predictors of NSSI. By implication, college student counselors should provide developmental activities for reducing social anxiety in students, thereby lowering their risk for loneliness and NSSI.

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Keywords

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