Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the roles of maladaptive self-focused attention and experiential avoidance as sequential mediators in the relationship between covert narcissism and social anxiety. Participants were 200 college students (74 males, 126 females) who completed a set of online self-report questionnaires that measure covert narcissism, maladaptive self-focused attention, experiential avoidance, and social anxiety. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and SPSS Process Macro. The results indicated that covert narcissism significantly predicted social anxiety, and this association was significantly mediated by self-focused attention and experiential avoidance. Furthermore, the sequential mediating effect of self-focused attention and experiential avoidance in the relationship between covert narcissism and social anxiety was statistically significant. This study contributes to the literature by revealing underlying psychological mechanisms by which covert narcissism affects social anxiety and highlights self-focused attention and experiential avoidance as potential targets for intervention.