Shyness, Unsociability, and Socio-Emotional Functioning at Preschool: The Protective Role of Peer Acceptance

Abstract

In present study, we examined the protective role of peer acceptance in the links between two subtypes of social withdrawal (shyness, unsociability) and indices of young children’s socio-emotional functioning. Participants were N = 112 Italian preschool children (n = 54 boys) aged 36–74 months (M = 56.85 months, SD = 10.14). Multi-source assessments included: (1) parental ratings of children’s shyness and unsociability; (2) teacher ratings of children’s internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and social competence; (3) child interview assessments of preference for solitary play; and (4) peer (sociometric) ratings of peer acceptance. Among the results, shyness was associated with internalizing problems at preschool, whereas unsociability was related to a preference for solitary play. In addition, results from multiple regression analyses indicated significant interactions between peer acceptance and both shyness and unsociability in the association with indices of socio-emotional functioning. For example, at lower levels of peer acceptance, shyness was positively related to children’s preference for solitary play, whereas children’s unsociability was associated with externalizing problems. In contrast, these relations were attenuated at higher levels of peer acceptance. Findings are discussed in term of the potential protective role of young children’s peer acceptance for different subtypes of social withdrawal during early childhood

Active emotion regulation mediates links between shyness and social adjustment in preschool

“…For instance, research in North America found that shy preschoolers frequently opt to play alone in the presence of peers and, consequently, may be more excluded by peers (Coplan, Ooi, Rose‐Krasnor, & Nocita, ; Ooi, Baldwin, Coplan, & Rose‐Krasnor, ). Shy preschoolers also tend to display more internalizing problems, such as anxious‐withdrawn behaviors and depressive symptoms (Coplan, Ooi, Xiao, & Rose‐Krasnor, ; Kopala‐Sibley & Klein, ; Sette, Zava, Baumgartner, Baiocco, & Coplan, ). Furthermore, shyness (behavioral inhibition) is a risk factor for later social anxiety disorder (Clauss & Blackford, ), and stable, increasing levels of shyness in a longitudinal study of Norwegian children were found to predict symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescence (Karevold, Ystrøm, Coplan, Sanson, & Mathiesen, ).…”

What are They Thinking? Examining Complex Links Among Social Withdrawal, Maladaptive Cognitions, and Internalizing Problems in Children and Emerging Adults

“…In the only study to explore subtypes of social withdrawal in early schoolaged children, Coplan and Weeks (2010) reported that shy 6-to 8-year-olds evidenced more internalizing problems, peer difficulties, and loneliness as compared to their unsociable and non-withdrawn peers. Similar patterns of associations have also been reported for slightly younger (Coplan, Ooi, Xiao, et al, 2018;Coplan et al, 2004;Sette et al, 2017) and older children .…”

“…The most prominently researched area of shyness has focused on the development of more severe socio-emotional difficulties, particularly along the internalizing dimension. Across developmental periods, shyness has consistently been found to be concurrently and predictively associated with internalizing problems, including feelings of loneliness, lower well-being, and emotion dysregulation (e.g., Bowker & Raja, 2011;Coplan et al, 2004;Findlay et al, 2009;Nelson, 2013;Nelson et al, 2008;Sette, Zava, Baumgartner, Baiocco, & Coplan, 2017). Moreover, shyness has been widely found to be a contributing factor in the subsequent development of more serious mental health difficulties, including both clinical and subclinical symptoms of social anxiety and depression (e.g., Chronis-Tuscano et al, 2009;Essex et al, 2009;Goodwin, Fergusson, & Horwood, 2004;Hirshfeld-Becker et al, 2007;Volbrecht & Goldsmith, 2010).…”

“…As such, it has been postulated that unsociable children simply tend to prefer object play over social play, particularly in early childhood (Asendorpf, 1990). Indeed, unsociable preschoolers have been observed to initiate fewer social interactions and report higher ratings of preference for solitary activities (Coplan, Ooi, Rose-Krasnor, & Nocita, 2014;Sette et al, 2017). Accordingly, unsociability is characterized by low approach and low avoidance motivations.…”

“…There is growing evidence to suggest that subtypes of social withdrawal are associated with different patterns of socio-emotional adjustment in childhood (Coplan, Ooi, Xiao, et al, 2018;Coplan et al, 2004;Sette et al, 2017). However, very little is known about the potential underlying mechanisms that account for these associations, particularly with regard to social avoidance.…”