Relationships Among Adult Attachment Style, Perceived Social Support, and Social Anxiety in College Students

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between and among attachment styles, perceived social support, and social anxiety among 194 undergraduate students. The results indicated that attachment styles and perceived social support from friends and family were significant predictors of social anxiety and social phobia. When considered together, attachment styles account for approximately 25% of the variance in social anxiety and 10% of the variance in social phobia. Perceived social support, primarily from friends, contributed significantly to the understanding of social anxiety and social phobia above and beyond what attachment styles explained. Implications of the findings for counseling college students are discussed.