THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AND ANXIETY, SELF-ESTEEM, AND SOCIAL IDENTITY

Social connectedness and its relationship with anxiety, self-esteem, a nd social identity was explored in the lives of women. Social connecte dness was negatively related to trait anxiety and made a larger unique contribution to trait anxiety than social support or collective self- esteem. Women with high connectedness also reported greater social ide ntification in high, as compared with low, cohesion conditions. Women with low connectedness exhibited no difference in either condition. So cial connectedness was also positively related to state self-esteem ac ross both conditions but did not have an effect on state anxiety. Futu re research in gender and cultural differences, self-evaluation proces s, and intervention strategies are discussed in light of the findings.