Purpose: This study aims to identify the relationship between nursing students’ social anxiety and communication ability, and in particular, to determine the mediating effect of self-efficacy. Methods: A total of 187 nursing students enrolled at four universities in Korea completed surveys between August and September 2020. The measurements included the Global Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, self-efficacy scales, and interaction anxiousness scales. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, multiple regression following the Baron and Kenny method, and bootstrapping for mediation. Results: Communication ability was significantly negatively correlated with social anxiety (r=-.61, p<.001) and significantly positively correlated with self-efficacy (r=.77, p<.001). Furthermore, self-efficacy had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between social anxiety and communication ability. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that communication ability can be improved if individual characteristics such as social anxiety and self-efficacy are considered. Therefore, when developing communication ability improvement programs for nursing students in the future, it is considered important to actively consider these personal characteristics.
Interpersonal Communication Competence and Social Anxiety in Nursing Students
