Self-Regulation, Fear of Negative Evaluation and Mental Health Problems In University Students

Abstract

The present study was designed to examine the relationship between self-regulation, fear of negative evaluation and mental health problems in university students. The data was collected from 200 participants (women=121, men=79) through stratified sampling. Data was collected form University of the Punjab and international institute of science and technology.  Participants were administered demographic sheets, short self regulation questionnaire (SSRQ: Carey et al., 2004), brief fear of negative evaluation scale (BFONES: Collins et al., 2005) and depression, anxiety stress scale (DASS: Henry & Crawford 2005). Descriptive statistics analysis, Reliability analysis, Pearson product correlation, Multiple regression analysis, T-test and ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses. The result revealed that there is a strong negative relationship between self regulation and mental health problems in university students. There is a moderate negative relationship between self regulation and fear of negative evolution in university students. There is a strong positive relationship between fear of negative evolution and mental health problems in university students. According to the regression analysis, mental health problems were significant predicts (34%) from self-regulation and fear of negative evaluation in university students. Further results of t-test revealed that there are significant gender difference women was lower self-regulation and higher mental health problems and fear of negative evaluation. The findings of the present study will be beneficial for the social psychologist, health psychologist and educational setting to reduced unhealthy emotions (stress, anxiety and fear) and maladaptive functioning.