IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL POLICY (JHSP )

E-ISSN 2545-5729
P-ISSN 2695 2416
VOL. 11 NO. 2 2025
DOI: 10.56201/jhsp.vol.11.no2.2025.pg143.153

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Interpersonal Dependence as A Predictor of Fear of Negative Evaluation Among Undergraduate Students

Silas Chioma Ruth, Chikwendu Chimezie Emmanuel, Ekpenyong Amate Stacey, Douglas John Ufuoma, Agu Laurine Chikamneto

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Abstract

The study investigated interpersonal dependence as a predictor of fear of negative evaluation among undergraduate students, one hundred and twenty (154) undergraduate students with a mean age of 19.46 and SD of 2.814 were drawn using multi-stage (cluster, simple random: by balloting and purposive) sampling techniques as participants from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu. Hirschfield et al. (1977) Interpersonal Dependency Inventory (IDI) and Watson and Friend (1969) Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) were used for data collection, correlational design was adopted and multiple hierarchy linear regression using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27 software was used to analysis the data. Findings shows that emotional reliance St?= -1.345* and t= -2.297* and lack of self- confidence St?= -1.204* and t= -2.041* at p< .05 dimensions of interpersonal dependence negatively predicted fear of negative evaluation among undergraduate student. Assertion of autonomy St?= -.799 and t= -1.825 at p< .05 failed to predict fear of negative evaluation among undergraduate student. Interpersonal dependence is related to fear of negative evaluation at r= .352, it contributed 12.4% variance to the dependent variable, interpersonal dependence predicted fear of negative evaluation sig.= .000 at p< .001. Hence, school management should introduce a course that can help grow student grow in confidence of themselves for them to be self-reliant, this will help to reduce fear of been evaluated negatively.

keywords:

interpersonal dependence, fear of negative evaluation, undergraduate, students

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