Nature-Nurture Journal of Psychology

The Mediating Role of Social Anxiety between Fear of Negative Evaluation and Online Self-Presentation in Young Adults: A Collectivist Cultural Perspective

Saira Majeed — 2025-08-03

Background: The increasing immersion in digital environments has heightened concerns about psychological factors influencing online self-presentation (OSP), especially among young adults. This study examines the relationship between fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and OSP, with Social Anxiety (SA) as a potential mediator, within a collectivist cultural context.

Method: A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was employed, involving 200 participants (131 men, 69 women) with age ranged of 16 to 32 years (M = 24.25, SD = 2.85), recruited from educational institutions and social media platforms across Pakistan. Four standardized measures were used, including the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE-S), the Social Anxiety Interaction Scale (SAIS), and the Presentation of Online Self Scale (POSS).

Results: The results indicated a significant positive association between FNE and OSP. Further the results demonstrated that SA significantly and partially mediated this relationship (β = −0.19, SE = 0.06, 95% CI [−0.33, −0.07]). These findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of FNE tend to experience greater social anxiety, which in turn contributes to more controlled, deliberate, and strategic online self-presentation behaviors.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of FNE are more likely to experience social anxiety, which subsequently contributes to more strategic and controlled online self-presentation. The study highlights the cognitive-affective pathways involved in digital identity construction in collectivist cultures. Interventions targeting FNE and SA may promote healthier online behaviors among young adults.

The Mediating Role of Grit in the Relationship among Health Behaviors, Internet Addiction, Emotional Intelligence, and Academic Burnout in Adolescents

Kashmala Zaman — 2025-07-31

Background: Adolescence is a critical developmental stage marked by significant emotional, psychological, and academic changes. Academic burnout has become increasingly common in this age group due to academic pressure, lifestyle changes, and excessive digital media use. While health behaviors, internet addiction, and emotional intelligence are recognized as important psychosocial determinants of academic adjustment, the underlying mechanisms of their impact on academic burnout remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of grit a trait representing perseverance and passion for long-term goals in the relationship between academic burnout and these psychosocial predictors in adolescents.

Method: This cross-sectional study employed a convenience sampling technique to recruit 281 adolescents (149 boys and 132 girls), aged 14 to 18 years (M = 17.09, SD = 1.26), from public and private colleges in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing academic burnout, emotional intelligence, grit, internet addiction, and health behaviors. Correlation and mediation analyses were used to explore direct and indirect associations among variables.

Results: Academic burnout showed a significant positive correlation with internet addiction and emotional intelligence, and a significant negative correlation with grit and health behaviors. Mediation analyses revealed that grit significantly mediated the relationship between internet addiction and academic burnout, suggesting that higher grit levels weaken the negative impact of internet addiction. Similarly, grit partially mediated the effects of emotional intelligence and health behaviors on academic burnout, indicating that adolescents with stronger grit reported lower burnout despite high digital engagement or moderate emotional competencies.

Conclusions: Findings support the role of grit as a protective psychological factor, emphasizing its potential in school-based interventions aimed at reducing academic burnout and enhancing adolescent resilience.

Perceived Stress as a Mediator between Episodic and Semantic Memory in Hypertensive and Normotensive Individuals: A Neuropsychological Perspective

Maryum Anees — 2025-07-31

Background: Hypertension is not only a leading cardiovascular risk factor but also significantly influences cognitive functioning, particularly episodic and semantic memory. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to heightened perceived stress, has been linked to neurocognitive impairments. Despite growing evidence, the interplay between episodic memory, perceived stress, and semantic memory remains underexplored, particularly in hypertensive populations

Method: This cross-sectional, comparative study included 200 participants (100 hypertensive, 100 normotensive), recruited through purposive sampling. Data collection occurred between October 1, 2024, and January 4, 2025, at the Cognitive and Neuroscience Lab, Foundation University School of Science and Technology (FUSST), and the Cardiology Department at Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Episodic memory was assessed using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and Picnir Scales, semantic memory via the Semantic Memory Scale, and perceived stress through the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Correlational and mediation analyses were conducted.

Results: The results of this study demonstrated that perceived stress significantly mediated the relationship between episodic and semantic memory in both normotensive and hypertensive groups. Moreover, people with normal blood pressure had better memory when they felt less stress. However, in people with high blood pressure, stress had a stronger effect on memory, showing that they may be more mentally vulnerable. Additionally, moderation analysis revealed a more robust direct effect of episodic memory on semantic memory in normotensive participants compared to their hypertensive counterparts.

Conclusions: These findings highlight perceived stress as a critical neuropsychological mediator influencing memory systems, particularly under hypertensive conditions. Integrating stress-reduction strategies into cognitive interventions may help mitigate neurocognitive decline in hypertensive populations.

The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies in the relationship between Vertigo Severity and Psychological Distress in Vestibulocochlear Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dr. Ammar Ahmed — 2025-07-31

Background: Tinnitus and vertigo, common symptoms of vestibulocochlear disorders, are frequently associated with heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. However, limited research has explored the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship, particularly the role of coping strategies as mediators. This study aimed to examine the associations among vertigo severity, stress, anxiety, depression, and coping strategies in patients with vestibulocochlear disorders, and to investigate whether coping strategies mediate the relationship between vertigo and psychological distress.

Method: A cross-sectional research design was employed, utilizing a purposive sampling technique to recruit a sample of 202 clinically diagnosed patients experiencing tinnitus and vertigo (M = 46.14 years, SD = 16.64), ranging in age from 18 to 89 years. Participants were selected from Audiology and Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) departments in various hospitals across Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, between January and October 2023. Standardized and validated self-report instruments were administered to assess the severity of vertigo, levels of psychological distress (including stress, anxiety, and depression), and the coping strategies employed by the patients.

Results: The findings of the study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between vertigo severity and psychological distress (i.e., stress, anxiety, and depression) among patients with vestibulocochlear disorders. Furthermore, vertigo severity was positively associated with greater utilization of religious coping strategies. Mediation analysis indicated that specific coping mechanisms particularly emotion-focused coping partially mediated the relationship between vertigo severity and adverse mental health outcomes.

Conclusions: The findings underscore the mediating role of coping strategies in the link between vertigo and psychological distress. These results highlight the importance of incorporating coping-focused psychological interventions to alleviate mental health symptoms in patients with vestibulocochlear disorders.