Social anxiety of online learners: A case study of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences using the social anxiety scale in electronic learning environments (SASE)

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 1.5 billion learners worldwide were deprived of access to in-person learning. Consequently, there was a significant shift towards e-learning. Social anxiety is a limiting barrier to e-learning. This study aimed to examine the level of social anxiety in e-learning environments among medical students.Method: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 150 medical students from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, selected through convenience sampling, completed the Social Anxiety Scale in E-Learning Environments (SASE) questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics by SPSS20 software.Results: The results of this study showed that the social anxiety of students in e-learning environments was not high, with a range of (1-6). Additionally, the levels of social anxiety were higher in students without academic progress during e-learning (p=0.887) compared to students with academic progress (p=0.702), but this difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant relationship between the level of social anxiety in e-learning environments and variables such as gender, semester, and type of study.Conclusion: Despite the lack of a statistically significant relationship between the variables of present study and social anxiety, and changes in social interaction environments, efforts to reduce the level of social anxiety among medical students and enhance learning are essential. The SASE is a valid and reliable tool for assessing social anxiety in e-learning environments.