The Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Academic Engagement in a Classroom Setting Among College Students



Ali NAAM ; Aljuboori AK ; Neamah MA
Source: Bahrain Medical Bulletin Published:2025

Abstract

Objective(s): The current study aimed to measure social anxiety and academic engagement, analyze the association between social anxiety and academic engagement among college students, and look into differences in social anxiety and academic engagement based on sociodemographic traits. Methods: To accomplish the aforementioned goals, a descriptive study was conducted at the University of Kerbala in Iraq. from the first of December to the first of February. An adopted Arabic version of the questionnaire was used to collect data from 92 students who made up the convenience non-probability sample. Results: The results of the study showed that social anxiety was high in most college students (54.3%). In contrast, 46.7% of the students exhibit a low level of academic engagement. Additionally, the findings indicate that students' academic engagement is influenced by their stage of study. Conclusion: The current study concluded that social anxiety is significantly negatively correlated with academic engagement. Recommendation: Colleges require to provide mental health support programs, including counseling services and anxiety management seminars, to assist students in managing social anxiety and improving their academic participation in the classroom. © 2025, Bahrain Medical Bulletin. All rights reserved.