Prevalence of and factors influencing social anxiety among Chinese college students: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

<h4>Introduction</h4>Social anxiety characterised by fear of social interactions and negative evaluation is a growing mental health concern among Chinese college students. Unique stressors, such as academic competition, familial pressures and digital communication paradoxes, may exacerbate symptoms in this group. Existing research often lacks systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors and culturally tailored analyses. This meta-analysis and systematic review, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, aims to consolidate evidence on prevalence and determinants, informing targeted interventions for Chinese college students.<h4>Methods and analysis</h4>Currently, the literature search is in the preliminary stage. We plan to begin this study on 15 June 2025, and it will end on 1 October 2025. The protocol was developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols guidelines. A comprehensive search will be conducted across four English databases (ie, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL in the EBSCO interface and PsycINFO in the ProQuest interface) and three Chinese databases (ie, CNKI, WanFang and SinoMed) for studies from inception to 15 April 2025. Two reviewers will independently screen for eligible studies and undertake data extraction. Any discrepancies will be resolved through group discussion.<h4>Ethics and dissemination</h4>As this research constitutes a systematic analysis of pre-existing published data, formal ethics committee approval is deemed unnecessary in accordance with international research ethics guidelines. The synthesised findings will be submitted for publication in a rigorously peer-reviewed academic journal and presented at pertinent scientific conferences to ensure transparent knowledge dissemination within the academic community.