Examining Student Success Metrics through the Lens of Social Anxiety and Proactive Coping

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities moved to online learning formats. It is important to examine ways in which students may be impacted by these changes, especially students who suffer from disorders such as social anxiety. This study explores social anxiety and proactive coping skills as predictors for outcomes such as academic performance, student engagement, and psychological distress. Regression analyses were used to predict whether success would be minimized for those with social anxiety and maximized for those with proactive coping skills. Following this, moderation analyses were used to determine whether proactive coping skills moderate the effect between social anxiety and the student success outcomes. The relevancy of the study and the potential for future research are also discussed.