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Journal of International Scholarship > Volume 1, Issue 3 (2026) > e011011

Assertiveness Moderates the Association Between Social Avoidance and Interpersonal Warmth

Kaiwei Bai

Abstract

Social avoidance and distress are central manifestations of social anxiety and are associated with impaired interpersonal functioning. The present study examined whether assertiveness moderates the relationship between social avoidance and distress and interpersonal warmth. An analytic sample of 93 adults completed measures of social avoidance and distress, assertiveness, interpersonal warmth, and manipulative interpersonal tendencies. Pearson correlations and a moderation analysis were conducted. Controlling for gender and manipulative tendencies, social avoidance and distress was associated with lower interpersonal warmth, but only among individuals reporting moderate to high levels of assertiveness. No significant association was observed among individuals low in assertiveness. These findings suggest that assertiveness may influence the interpersonal correlates of social avoidance and distress and highlight heterogeneity in the interpersonal profiles of socially avoidant individuals.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Published 

September 2, 2026

Keywords

Social avoidance and distress;

Social anxiety;

Assertiveness;

Interpersonal warmth;

Social inhibition;

Moderation analysis;

Interpersonal functioning