Self-esteem and social anxiety among college students majoring in music in China: The mediating role of fear of evaluation

In the field of educational psychology, it is crucial to explore the mental health of students within specific disciplines. In this research we targeted 469 college students majoring in music, delving into the interplay between their self-esteem and social anxiety, and particularly analyzing whether fear of evaluation acts as a bridge between these two factors. The findings revealed a clear trend: lower self-esteem was associated with higher levels of social anxiety, with fear of evaluation playing a key mediating role in this dynamic. This insight provides a perspective on how self-esteem affects social anxiety among music students through the pathway of fear of evaluation. Educators and mental health professionals dedicated to student welfare should adopt a range of targeted intervention strategies aimed at boosting students’ self-esteem as an effective means to alleviate their social anxiety.