Do you "want" to play? Distinguishing between conflicted shyness and social disinterest in early childhood

Give Me a Straight Answer: Response Ambiguity Diminishes Likability

Across nine experiments (eight preregistered) involving Western and Asian samples, we showed that people providing ambiguous (vs. specific) responses to questions in various social scenarios are seen as less likable. This is because, depending on the social context, response ambiguity may be interpreted as a way to conceal the truth and as a sign of social disinterest. Consequently, people reported lower inclination to befriend or date individuals who appeared to provide ambiguous responses. We also identified situations in which response ambiguity does not harm likability, such as when the questions are sensitive and the responder may need to "soften the blow." A final exploratory study showed that response ambiguity also impacts personality perceptions-individuals providing ambiguous responses are judged as less warm, less extraverted, less gullible, and more cautious. We discuss theoretical implications for the language psychology and person perception literatures and practical implications for impression management and formation.

A Multi-Method Examination of Peer Functioning in Children with and without Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) includes excessive daydreaming, mental confusion, and hypoactive behaviors that are distinct from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattentive (ADHD-IN) symptoms. A growing number of studies indicate that CDS symptoms may be associated with ratings of social withdrawal. However, it is important to examine this association in children specifically recruited for the presence or absence of CDS, and to incorporate multiple methods including direct observations of peer interactions. The current study builds on previous research by recruiting children with and without clinically elevated CDS symptoms and using a multi-method, multi-informant design including recess observations and parent, teacher, and child rating scales.

METHOD

Participants were 207 children in grades 2-5 (63.3% male), including 103 with CDS and 104 without CDS, closely matched on grade and sex.

RESULTS

Controlling for family income, medication status, internalizing symptoms, and ADHD-IN severity, children with CDS were observed during recess to spend more time alone or engaging in parallel play, as well as less time involved in direct social interactions, than children without CDS. Children with CDS were also rated by teachers as being more asocial, shy, and socially disinterested than children without CDS. Although children with and without CDS did not differ on parent- or self-report ratings of shyness or social disinterest, children with CDS rated themselves as lonelier than children without CDS.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that children with CDS have a distinct profile of peer functioning and point to the potential importance of targeting withdrawal in interventions for youth with elevated CDS symptoms.

Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Shyness Among Mothers of Young Children in Mainland China

This study examines both implicit and explicit attitudes toward shyness among mothers of young children in mainland China. The participants were 391 mothers (Mage = 35 years, SD = 3.84 years) of preschool-aged children from one kindergarten in Shanghai, China. At two time points separated by eight months, participants completed the online version of the Implicit Association Test-Shy (IAT-Shy), self-assessed their own shyness and their explicit attitudes about shyness, and rated their children's shyness. Over the eight-month period, Chinese mothers displayed more negative implicit attitudes toward shyness compared with their attitudes toward non-shyness (sociability). Implicit attitudes toward shyness were significantly related to explicit attitudes about shyness but were not significantly associated with maternal or child shyness.

Parsing the heterogeneity of social motivation in autism

BACKGROUND

Social motivation is posited as a key factor in the expression of the autism phenotype. However, lack of precision in both conceptualization and measurement has impeded a thorough understanding of its diverse presentation and associated outcomes. This study addresses this gap by identifying subgroups of autism characterized by deficits in distinct facets of social motivation, relative to normative benchmarks.

METHODS

Data were from 509 participants with autism, aged 5-to-21 years (M = 10.43, SD = 3.67; 81% male), enrolled in the Healthy Brain Network. Latent profile analysis was employed to identify subgroups characterized by unique configurations of reticence, seeking, and maintaining facets of social motivation, derived from a comprehensive multi-instrument factor analysis of symptom and screening measures. Pearson's chi-square tests and one-way analysis of variance were performed to explore subgroup differences in demographic characteristics, cognitive abilities, co-occurring psychopathologies, and other aspects of social functioning.

RESULTS

Four distinct subgroups were identified: Engaged (n = 247), exhibiting the fewest challenges across each area; Inhibited (n = 143), characterized by high reticence, mild challenges in seeking, and few challenges in maintaining; Aloof (n = 68), characterized by challenges with seeking and maintaining but relatively low reticence; and Avoidant (n = 52), characterized by the highest challenges across all areas. Subgroups did not differ in terms of chronological age or sex. The Engaged subgroup exhibited the fewest challenges in other aspects of social functioning and co-occurring psychopathologies, while the Avoidant subgroup exhibited the greatest challenges, and with the Inhibited and Aloof profiles falling in between.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the heterogeneous nature of deficits in social motivation in autism relative to normative benchmarks, suggesting potential avenues for tailored interventions aimed at addressing the specific challenges experienced by individuals within each subgroup. Nevertheless, there remains a need to develop more refined measurement tools capable of capturing even finer-grained aspects and diverse expressions of social motivation, facilitating further characterization of individual differences across diagnostic boundaries.

Is the social withdrawal subscale a valid instrument to assess social withdrawal among colorectal cancer survivors with permanent stomas? A validation study

BACKGROUND

Although social withdrawal is common among colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with permanent stomas, it has been poorly addressed due to a lack of valid assessment tools. The social withdrawal subscale (SWS) from the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale shows promise for assessing social withdrawal. However, there was no available data on its validity for this purpose. This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the SWS as a screening tool for identifying survivors at risk of social withdrawal.

METHODS

Two separate convenience samples of 127 and 245 CRC survivors with permanent stomas were selected. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted with the first sample of 127 survivors. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability analysis, and tests for convergent and discriminant validity were performed with the second sample of 245 survivors. Additionally, the screening cut-off score and accuracy of the SWS scores were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

The item-total correlation coefficients of the SWS ranged from 0.530 to 0.787. The EFA demonstrated a single-factor structure for the SWS. The CFA confirmed appropriate construct validity (χ²/df = 103.115/52 = 1.983, goodness-of-fit index (GFI) = 0.925, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.959, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.068). The test-retest reliability was 0.849. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant and moderate to large relationships between the SWS and the chosen criterion measures, supporting its good convergent validity. ROC analysis identified SWS scores of ≥ 15 as the optimal screening cut-off, with a sensitivity of 86.5%, specificity of 50.5%, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.748 (95% CI: 0.673-0.823, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The SWS demonstrates acceptable reliability and validity for measuring social withdrawal among CRC survivors with permanent stomas. Future studies should further evaluate its utility in clinical settings.

Linking Callous-Unemotional Traits to Social Withdrawal Among Young Chinese Left-Behind Children: Examining the Moderated Mediation Model

Much attention has been given to the predictive role of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children's social and peer functioning. As an important dimension of social adaptation, early social withdrawal in preschool left-behind children (LBC) might be the outcome of psychological factors and growth environments. This study explored the predictive effect of CU traits on social withdrawal among preschool LBC, including the indirect effect of emotion regulation and teacher-child relationship quality. Data from 513 Chinese preschool LBC (257 boys and 256 girls) were reported by their teachers in rural areas, including assessments of CU traits, emotion regulation, social withdrawal, and teacher-child relationship quality. Path analyses showed that the CU traits of young LBC could significantly positively predict the prevalence of social withdrawal, and emotion regulation played a key mediating role in this effect path. Notably, teacher-child relationship quality moderated the indirect effect of emotion regulation on CU traits and withdrawal behaviors. Therefore, the moderated mediation model was supported. The findings expanded the recognition of LBC with CU traits and further suggested that the association of some personality traits and growing environments in the early left-behind childhood can significantly make a difference in peer functioning and social adjustment.

Childhood predictors of avoidant personality disorder traits in adolescence: a seven-wave birth cohort study

BACKGROUND

Although it is widely assumed that avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) originates in childhood, there is little prospective research to substantiate this claim. We therefore aimed to determine whether presumed childhood risk factors predict AvPD traits at 16 years.

METHODS

A population-based sample (n = 1,077; 50.9% female) from the 2003 and 2004 birth cohorts in Trondheim, Norway was examined biennially from 4 to 16 years. The number of AvPD traits at the age of 16 was assessed with the structured clinical interview for DSM-5 personality disorders and regressed on the intercept and growth in child risk and protective factors until the age of 14.

RESULTS

The prevalence of AvPD at the age of 16 was 3.2% (95% CI: 2.2-4.1). Higher levels and an increased number of social anxiety symptoms over time, as well as increased negative affectivity/neuroticism, predicted a higher number of AvPD traits. When the levels and changes in these factors were adjusted for, less and decreasing extraversion forecasted more AvPD traits, as did declining self-worth, higher levels of parental AvPD traits, and increased onlooking behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Neuroticism, low extraversion, social anxiety symptoms, passive onlooking behavior, and low self-worth predicted a higher number of AvPD traits in adolescence, as did more AvPD traits in parents. Efforts to enhance self-worth, reduce social anxiety, and promote peer interaction among onlooking children may reduce the development of AvPD traits in adolescence.

Structure of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in early adolescence: A comparison of a bifactor and a two-factor model over time and across reporters

Psychopathology assessed across the lifespan often can be summarized with a few broad dimensions: internalizing, externalizing, and psychosis/thought disorder. Extensive overlap between internalizing and externalizing symptoms has garnered interest in bifactor models comprised of a general co-occurring factor and specific internalizing and externalizing factors. We focus on internalizing and externalizing symptoms and compare a bifactor model to a correlated two-factor model of psychopathology at three timepoints in a large adolescent community sample (N = 387; 55 % female; 83% Caucasian; M age = 12.1 at wave 1) using self- and parent-reports. Each model was tested within each time-point with 25-28 validators. The bifactor models demonstrated better fit to the data. Child report had stronger invariance across time. Parent report had stronger reliability over time. Cross-informant correlations between the factors at each wave indicated that the bifactor model had slightly poorer convergent validity but stronger discriminant validity than the two-factor model. With notable exceptions, this pattern of results replicated across informants and waves. The overlap between internalizing and externalizing pathology is systematically and, sometimes, non-linearly related to risk factors and maladaptive outcomes. Strengths and weaknesses to modeling psychopathology as two or three factors and clinical and developmental design implications are discussed.

The Moderating Role of Emotion Regulation on Shyness and Internalizing Behavior of Turkish Preschool Children

The present study examined the moderating effect of children's emotion regulation on the relations between shyness and internalizing behavior in Turkish preschool children. Participants were N = 222 children (M = 58.20 months, SD = 11.24, 116 girls, 106 boys) attending five public kindergartens in Turkey. Mothers provided ratings of children's shyness and emotion regulation; teachers assessed children's internalizing behavior. Results indicated that shyness was positively associated with internalizing behavior and negatively associated with emotion regulation among Turkish preschool children. Moreover, children's emotion regulation significantly moderated the relationship between shyness and internalizing behavior. Specifically, among children with lower levels of emotion regulation, shyness was significantly and positively associated with internalizing behaviors while among children with higher levels of emotion regulation, shyness was not associated with internalizing behaviors. The current findings inform that the importance of improving children's emotional regulation to buffer the internalizing behaviors among Turkish shyness young children. The findings also highlight the importance of considering the meaning and implication of shyness for preschool children.

How do fathers' educational level contribute to children's school problems? Overparenting and children's gender and surgency in a moderated mediation model

This study aims to investigate (a) the mediating role of overparenting between father's educational level and children's school problems, and (b) the joint moderating role of children's gender and surgency in the indirect relationship between father's educational level and school problems. Participants were 203 school children, 96 boys (47.3%) and 107 girls (52.7%), aged 7-8 years (M = 92.42 months, SD = 3.52). Fathers reported their educational level, age and employment status and their children's gender and number of siblings, as well as their overparenting behaviors by Anticipatory Problem Solving (APS) scale. Teachers informed children's school problems by the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC T-2). Parents together informed their children's surgency levels by a subscale of Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ). Results showed that, in girls, the father's educational level was negatively related to the child's school problems via overparenting behaviors, controlling the number of siblings and father's age and employment status. However, among boys, fathers' overparenting protect their shy sons from the risk of a low educational level for school problems. These findings highlight the relevance of considering the gender and surgency to a better understanding of the effects of contextual factors on children's outcomes.

Evaluating the sensitivity to threat and affiliative reward (STAR) model in relation to the development of conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits across early adolescence

BACKGROUND

The Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward (STAR) model proposes low threat sensitivity and low affiliation as risk factors for callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Preliminary evidence for the STAR model comes from work in early childhood. However, studies are needed that explore the STAR dimensions in late childhood and adolescence when severe conduct problems (CP) emerge. Moreover, it is unclear how variability across the full spectrum of threat sensitivity and affiliation gives rise to different forms of psychopathology beyond CU traits.

METHODS

The current study addressed these gaps using parent- and child-reported data from three waves and a sub-study of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study® of 11,878 youth (48% female; ages 9-12).

RESULTS

Consistent with the STAR model, low threat sensitivity and low affiliation were independently related to CU traits across informants and time. Moreover, there was significant interaction between the STAR dimensions, such that children with lower sensitivity to threat and lower affiliation had higher parent-reported CU traits. Unlike CU traits, children with higher threat sensitivity had higher parent-reported CP and anxiety. Finally, children with lower affiliation had higher parent-reported CP, anxiety, and depression. Results largely replicated across informants and time, and sensitivity analysis revealed similar findings in children with and without DSM-5 defined CP.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support the STAR model hypotheses as they pertain to CU traits and delineate threat sensitivity and affiliation as independent transdiagnostic risk factors for different types of psychopathology. Future research is needed to develop fuller and more reliable and valid measures of affiliation and threat sensitivity across multiple assessment modalities.

Leaders of Peer Groups in Chinese Early Adolescents: The Roles of Social, Academic, and Psychological Characteristics in Group Leadership

Leadership in peer groups is an important issue in adolescent socioemotional development, yet it has received limited attention in research. This one-year longitudinal study examined peer group leadership and the roles of social, academic, and psychological characteristics in the dynamics of group leadership. Participants included 1061 Chinese students (initial mean age =11.17 years; SD = 6.98 months; 49.4% female). Data were collected from peer assessments, teacher ratings, and self-reports. The longitudinal social network analysis (SIENA) indicated that peer group leadership was fluid with leadership status evolving over time across groups in a hierarchical manner. Adolescents displaying higher social competence and aggression and lower shyness were more likely to become group leaders. Academic performance and loneliness were not significantly associated with the dynamics of peer group leadership. The results help understand peer group leadership and contributions of social behaviors to the attainment of leadership status in peer groups in early adolescence.

The positive solitude scale (PS): psychometric properties among Chinese older

BACKGROUND

Positive solitude, taken as a meaningful activity, contributes to the improvement of health, well-being, and quality of life of older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Positive Solitude Scale (PS) among Chinese older to provide a reference for related research.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 608 older people from 10 provinces in China was used to conduct the survey.

RESULTS

The Chinese version of the PS consisted of 9 items with a unidimensional structure, which could explain 60.91% of the variance. The factor loadings of each item ranged from 0.67 to 0.82, and the communality ranged from 0.44 to 0.68. The confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit (χ2/df = 2.771, RMSEA = 0.076, CFI = 0.972, IFI = 0.972, TLI = 0.959, PNFI = 0.665, PCFI = 0.675). It was found from the criterion-related validity test that PS scores were significantly and positively correlated with Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness scores (r = 0.45 to 0.44); PS scores were significantly and negatively correlated with Short-Form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Ego Depletion Scale (EDS), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2nd Edition (AAQ-II) (r = -0.27 to -0.36). The Cronbach's α coefficient value for the scale was 0.917; the split-half reliability coefficient value was 0.928. In addition, the PS showed cross-gender consistency.

CONCLUSIONS

The PS presented favorable psychometric characteristics in older people, which can be used as a valid tool for assessing older people's positive solitude.

Shyness, Sport Engagement, and Internalizing Problems in Chinese Children: The Moderating Role of Class Sport Participation in a Multi-Level Model

The relations between shyness and internalizing problems have been mainly explored at the individual level, with little known about its dynamics at the group level. This study aims to examine the mediating effect of individual-level sport engagement and the moderating effect of class-level sport participation in the relations between shyness and internalizing problems. The participants were 951 children attending primary and middle school from grade 3 to grade 7 (Mage = 11 years, 509 boys) in urban areas of China. Cross-sectional data were collected using self-report assessments. Multi-level analysis indicated that (1) shyness was positively associated with internalizing problems; (2) sport engagement partially mediated the relations between shyness and internalizing problems; and (3) class sport participation was a cross-level moderator in the mediating relations between shyness, sport engagement, and internalizing problems. Shy children in classes with a higher level of sport participation tend to have less sport engagement and more internalizing problems than those in classes with a lower level of sport participation. These findings illuminate implications from a multi-level perspective for shy children's adjustment in a Chinese context. The well-being of shy children could be improved by intervening in sport activity, addressing both individual engagement and group dynamics, such as class participation.

Age-related differences in behavioral problems between shy adults and shy children

Although both concurrent and longitudinal relations between shyness and behavioral problems are well-established in childhood, there is relatively less work exploring these associations in emerging adulthood. In addition, age-related differences in the strength of these relations in child and adult samples have not been fully explored within the same study. We collected measures of shyness, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and social problems in a sample of 94 typically developing 6-year-old children (50 female; Mage = 78.3 months, SD = 3.1 months) and 775 undergraduate students (633 female, Mage = 18.2 years, SD = 0.9 years) from parent-reported and self-reported questionnaires, respectively. Shyness interacted with age in predicting internalizing behaviors and social problems, but not externalizing behaviors. Specifically, shyness was concurrently and positively related to internalizing and social problems in young adulthood, but this relation was not found in childhood. Findings are discussed in terms of developmental consequences of shyness across the lifespan and limitations of relying on ratings from different informants when examining age-related differences.

Theory of mind skills and peer relationships in children's adjustment to preschool

School adjustment affects children's future lives in many ways. This study examined the relationship between ToM skills, peer relationships, and school adjustment. Specifically, this study determined whether preschool children's school adjustment could be significantly predicted by theory of mind (ToM) skills and peer relationships. A total of 164 children aged 4 (34.5%), and 5 (38%) years of preschool attendance participated in the study. According to the research, children's age, theory of mind, peer relations, and school adjustment are closely related. It was also found that the theory of mind significantly predicted school adjustment (school liking/avoidance) and that prosocial and aggressive behavior predicted school liking.

Associations between Unsociability and Peer Problems in Chinese Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis

Research has shown that unsociability, reflected as a personal choice, is not necessarily associated with socio-emotional problems in Western countries. However, the associations between unsociability and peer problems are consistently evident in Chinese culture, yet the strength and direction in these associations are mixed. The present study aimed to examine whether unsociability is associated with peer problems and explored the potential moderators among the associations. A meta-analysis was conducted using publications that measured unsociability and peer problems. A total of 21 articles involving 43 effect sizes from 12,696 Chinese children and adolescents were included. The results revealed that (1) unsociability was positively associated with peer problems (r = 0.32, p < 0.001) among children and adolescents. (2) Informants (i.e., self-reports, peer nominations, teacher ratings, and parent ratings) and living areas (i.e., urban, suburban, and rural areas) significantly moderated the associations between unsociability and peer problems. Specifically, the associations were stronger for peer-nominated unsociability, self-reported peer problems, and samples in suburban areas. These findings shed light on unsociability linked to higher levels of peer problems among Chinese children and adolescents. Still, the influences are unique to peer problems and moderated by both data sources and environmental factors.

Shyness and self-consistency and congruence among Chinese adolescents: mediating role of social comparison orientation and moderating role of self-focused attention

During the critical period of personality shaping and self-development, adolescents face unique challenges and opportunities. This study, based on Cognitive-Behavioral Theory, explored the relationship between shyness and self-consistency and congruence (hereinafter referred to as SCC), as well as its underlying mechanisms. Through a questionnaire survey on shyness, social comparison orientation, self-focused attention, and SCC among 984 adolescents, the results revealed that (1) Adolescent shyness negatively predicted SCC. (2) Social comparison orientation partially mediated the relationship between shyness and SCC. (3) Self-focused attention moderated the direct pathway of this mediation process, where a high level of self-focused attention exacerbated the negative impact of shyness on SCC. These findings offered a new perspective on understanding SCC and underscored the importance of addressing the information processing mechanisms of social comparison orientation and self-focused attention among shy adolescents in interventions aimed at promoting their psychological harmony and healthy growth.

Why Should I? Examining How Childhood Callous-Unemotional Traits Relate to Prosocial and Affiliative Behaviors and Motivations

Childhood callous-unemotional (CU) traits are characterized by low empathy, limited prosocial behavior, and restricted social affiliation. However, few studies have investigated whether CU traits are associated with different subtypes of prosocial and affiliative behavior or the specific motivational difficulties underlying these behaviors. We addressed these questions using data from 135 young children (M = 5.48 years old; 58% female) who viewed depictions of adults or children in instrumental need, emotional need, or neutral situations. We assessed recognition, suggested initiation of, and motivation for prosocial or affiliative behavior in response to each depiction. We distinguished between subtypes of prosocial (instrumental and emotional) and affiliative (parallel, cooperative, associative) behavior, as well as self- versus other-orientated motivations. Parents reported on child CU traits and conduct problems. Overall, children accurately recognized prosocial and neutral situations, offered help, and expressed other-orientated motivations for prosocial behavior and social motivations for affiliative behavior. Higher CU traits were related to lower overall recognition accuracy, which was more pronounced for emotional need. Higher CU traits were also related to fewer offers of help and more denial of prosocial behavior, particularly for instrumental need. Finally, CU traits were related to lower probability of initiating affiliative behavior. CU traits were not differentially related to self- versus other-orientated motivations for prosocial or affiliative behavior. Findings demonstrate difficulties of children with CU traits in recognizing need and offering help. Interventions for CU traits could include modules that explicitly scaffold and shape prosociality and social affiliation.

Is autonomic functioning distinctly associated with anxiety and unsociability in preschoolers?

There are many benefits of peer interactions for children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, and isolation from peers may have negative consequences for children. Although biological processes may underlie social withdrawal broadly, distinct patterns may be associated with withdrawal behaviors depending on their underlying motivation (e.g., shy versus disinterested). This study investigated the role of autonomic nervous system activity, as assessed via skin conductance level (SCL) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in predicting changes in unsociability (e.g., lack of interest in peers) and anxious-fearfulness (e.g., discomfort among peers). Data were collected using a community sample of 92 US preschool children (45.7% female; Mage = 45.51 months, SDage = 3.81 months) at two time points one year apart. Gender differences were also explored. Baseline physiology was assessed while viewing a neutral video clip, and reactivity was assessed while viewing social exclusion and post-aggression discussion videos. For all children, coinhibition (i.e., SCL inhibition accompanied by RSA inhibition) to the post-aggression discussion video and blunted SCL activation to the exclusion video were prospectively associated with higher levels of anxious-fearfulness one year later. For boys only, baseline reciprocal sympathetic activation (i.e., SCL activation and RSA inhibition) was prospectively related to higher levels of unsociability one year later. For girls only, RSA inhibition in response to the post-aggression discussion video was prospectively related to higher levels of unsociability one year later. Findings contribute to a growing literature on autonomic reactivity in preschoolers' adjustment and suggest possible differences in the physiological processes underlying unsociability and anxious-fearfulness.

Unsociability and social adjustment in Chinese preschool migrant children: the moderating role of receptive vocabulary

Peer relationships play an indispensable role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children. However, children exhibiting social withdrawal, such as unsociability, may face challenges in social adjustment. In collectivistic cultures like China, unsociability may be perceived negatively, aligning poorly with collective norms. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the associations between unsociability, receptive vocabulary, and indicators of social adjustment in a cohort of young migrant children residing in urban regions of mainland China. The study mainly aimed to investigate the potential moderating influence of receptive language on these associations. The study involved 148 young children (82 boys, 66 girls, Mage = 62.32 months, SD = 6.76) enrolled in preschools or kindergartens in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Multiple sources of assessment were utilized, encompassing evaluations from mothers (about child unsociability), teacher (assessing social adjustment), and standardized tests (measuring receptive vocabulary). The results indicated that the relations between unsociability and peer exclusion were more positive among children with lower levels of receptive vocabulary but not significant for children with higher levels of receptive vocabulary. Similarly, the relations between unsociability and peer exclusion were more negative among children with lower levels of receptive vocabulary but not significant for children with higher levels of receptive vocabulary. Thus, this study informs us about how receptive vocabulary is jointly associated with unsociable children's development. As well, the findings highlight the importance of considering the meaning and implication of unsociability in Chinese culture.

Shyness and academic procrastination among Chinese adolescents: a moderated mediation model of self-regulation and self-focused attention

Academic procrastination is a common concern among adolescents, but the correlation between shyness and academic procrastination and the internal mechanisms have not yet been thoroughly investigated. Based on a questionnaire survey with 1,279 Chinese middle school students, this study examined the effect of shyness on academic procrastination and its underlying mechanism of self-regulation and self-focused attention. Results revealed that: (1) shyness significantly predicted academic procrastination. (2) Self-regulation mediated the relationship between shyness and academic procrastination. (3) Self-focused attention played a moderating role in the first half of this mediation process. Specifically, higher level of self-focused attention strengthened the predictive effect of shyness on self-regulation. These results underscored the latent risks and protective factors associated with shyness, self-regulation, and self-focused attention in adolescent academic procrastination. In future research and interventions, attention may be directed towards improving individual internal factors to assist adolescents in effectively addressing issues related to academic procrastination.

The moderating effects of parental psychological control on the relationship between unsociability and socio-emotional functioning among Chinese children

Introduction

There have been studies indicating that children's unsociability was associated with poorer socio-emotional functioning in China. Although some researchers have found that parenting behavior would influence the relationship between children's unsociability and adjustment, the role of parental psychological control has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of parental psychological control on the relationship between unsociability and socio-emotional functioning in Chinese children.

Methods

A total of 1,275 students from Grades 3 to 7 (637 boys, Mage = 10.78 years, SD = 1.55 years) were selected from four public schools in Shanghai to participate in this study. Data of unsociability, peer victimization and social preference were collected from peer-nominations, and data of parental psychological control, depressive symptoms and social anxiety were collected from self-reports.

Results

There were positive associations between unsociability and peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety, as well as a negative association between unsociability and social preference. Parental psychological control moderated these associations, specifically, the associations between unsociability and peer victimization, social preference, and depressive symptoms were stronger, and the association between unsociability and social anxiety was only significant among children with higher level of parental psychological control.

Discussion

The findings in the current study highlight the importance of parental psychological control in the socio-emotional functioning of unsociable children in the Chinese context, enlightening educators that improving parenting behavior is essential for children's development.

Preschool Teachers' Cognitions, Emotions, and Tolerance toward Children's Hypothetical Social Behaviors in the Classroom

Teachers' tolerance toward children's social behaviors is, in part, guided by teachers' cognitions and emotions. Few studies have examined the associations between teachers' cognitions, emotions, and tolerance toward children's social behaviors. This study aimed to (1) describe the cognitions, emotions, and tolerance of Portuguese preschool teachers toward children's shy, physically and relationally aggressive, rough-and-tumble play, exuberant, and unsociable behaviors at preschool, depending on children's sex; and (2) examine the direct and indirect associations (via teachers' emotions) between teachers' cognitions and tolerance toward children's social behaviors, depending on children's sex. One hundred and seven preschool teachers completed the Child Behaviors Vignettes. Preschool teachers displayed more negative views toward children's physical and relational aggression, reported positive perspectives toward children's rough play and mixed attitudes toward children's exuberance, and differentiated shy from unsociable behaviors. Direct associations between teachers' cognitions and tolerance were found only for physical aggression. Teachers' anticipation of negative peer costs and academic performance appear to exert an indirect influence on teachers' tolerance toward physical aggression and unsociability, via increased levels of worry. These findings highlight the role of teachers' emotions for tolerance toward children's social behaviors and the need to enhance their self-awareness.

When is Solitude Maladaptive for Adolescents? A Comprehensive Study of Sociability and Characteristics of Solitude

Research examining the link between solitude and psychosocial adjustment among adolescents has lacked a comprehensive, person-centered examination of differential patterns of both solitude and sociability. The current study surveyed 1071 adolescents (Mage = 12.48, SD = 1.71, 49.86% female, age range = 10-16 years). Using latent-profile analysis, four groups were identified with differential patterns of characteristics of solitude (i.e., enjoyment, motivations, preference, frequency) and sociability. Results indicated that worse psychosocial adjustment across time points was associated with membership in the PFS-NonSociable group (characterized by high enjoyment, preference, and frequency of solitude; low sociability) compared to all other groups. Findings suggest that solitude for adolescents appears to be linked to worse psychosocial adjustment only if accompanied by a lack of sociability.

Meta-analytic associations between the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale and students' social competence with peers

According to developmental psychologists, more supportive and less conflictual relationships with teachers play a positive role in children's social behavior with peers both concurrently and in the future. This meta-analysis examined the association between teacher-student relationship quality, as measured by the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS; Pianta, 2001a), and social competence from early childhood through high school. Based on nearly 30,000 students from 87 studies, the weighted average association between teacher-student relationship quality and social competence with peers was r = .31 (z = .32; 95% CI: .28, 37). Neither age nor length of time between assessments were associated with effect size, suggesting that teacher-student relationships continue to be associated with children's social competence beyond the early years. Additionally, the STRS total score was the best predictor of social competence, whereas dependency was more weakly associated with social competence. The findings of this study suggest that teacher-student relationship quality as measured by the STRS is an important correlate of both concurrent and future social competence from early childhood to adolescence.

Promoting Empathy and Affiliation in Relationships (PEAR) study: protocol for a longitudinal study investigating the development of early childhood callous-unemotional traits

INTRODUCTION

Children with callous-unemotional (CU) traits are at high lifetime risk of antisocial behaviour. Low affiliation (ie, social bonding difficulties) and fearlessness (ie, low threat sensitivity) are proposed risk factors for CU traits. Parenting practices (eg, harshness and low warmth) also predict risk for CU traits. However, few studies in early childhood have identified attentional or physiological markers of low affiliation and fearlessness. Moreover, no studies have tested whether parenting practices are underpinned by low affiliation or fearlessness shared by parents, which could further shape parent-child interactions and exacerbate risk for CU traits. Addressing these questions will inform knowledge of how CU traits develop and isolate novel parent and child targets for future specialised treatments for CU traits.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Promoting Empathy and Affiliation in Relationships (PEAR) study aims to establish risk factors for CU traits in children aged 3-6 years. The PEAR study will recruit 500 parent-child dyads from two metropolitan areas of the USA. Parents and children will complete questionnaires, computer tasks and observational assessments, alongside collection of eye-tracking and physiological data, when children are aged 3-4 (time 1) and 5-6 (time 2) years. The moderating roles of child sex, race and ethnicity, family and neighbourhood disadvantage, and parental psychopathology will also be assessed. Study aims will be addressed using structural equation modelling, which will allow for flexible characterisation of low affiliation, fearlessness and parenting practices as risk factors for CU traits across multiple domains.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was granted by Boston University (#6158E) and the University of Pennsylvania (#850638). Results will be disseminated through conferences and open-access publications. All study and task materials will be made freely available on lab websites and through the Open Science Framework (OSF).

Shyness and Socio-Emotional Adjustment among Young Chinese Children: The Moderating Role of Screen Time

The primary aim of the present study was to examine the potential moderating role of screen time in the links between shyness and indices of socio-emotional adjustment in young Chinese children. Participants were N = 211 children (112 boys, 99 girls) ages 43-66 months (M = 58.84 months, SD = 5.32) recruited from two public kindergartens in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Mothers completed assessments of children's shyness and screen time, and both mothers and teachers completed measures of indices of children's socio-emotional functioning (prosocial, internalizing problems, learning problems). Among the results, shyness was positively associated with internalizing problems and negatively associated with prosocial behavior, whereas screen time was positively associated with internalizing problems. However, several significant shyness × screen time interaction effects were observed. The pattern of these results consistently revealed that at higher levels of screen time, links between shyness and indices of socio-emotional difficulties were exacerbated. Results are discussed in terms of the implications of shyness and screen time in early childhood.

Psychometric Properties, Factor Structure, and Validity of the Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward Scale in Children and Adults

Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits identify children at high risk of antisocial behavior. A recent theoretical model proposed that CU traits arise from low sensitivity to threat and affiliation. To assess these dimensions, we developed the parent- and self-reported Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward Scale (STARS) and tested its psychometric properties, factor structure, and construct validity. Samples 1 (N =3 03; age 3-10; United States) and 2 (N = 854 age 5-9; Spain) were children and Sample 3 was 514 young adults (Mage = 19.89; United States). In Sample 1, differential item functioning and item response theory techniques were used to identify the best-performing items from a 64-item pool, resulting in 28 items that functioned equivalently across age and gender. Factor analysis indicated acceptable fit for the theorized two-factor structure with separate threat and affiliation factors in all three samples, which showed predictive validity in relation to CU traits in children and psychopathic traits in young adults.

Preschoolers' Beliefs, Emotions and Intended Responses toward Peer Behaviors: Do Children's Sex, Age, and Social Behavior Make a Difference?

Children's self-imposed isolation in the company of others (social withdrawal due to shyness or unsociability) and active isolation due to direct aggressive behaviors can challenge successful engagement in the peer group. The developmental attributional perspective acknowledges that children's intended affiliative responses are, in part, guided by their emotions and beliefs toward peers' social behaviors and may differ depending on children's sex, age group, and social behavior. This study aimed to (1) describe preschoolers' beliefs, emotions, and intended affiliative preferences toward aggressive, shy, and unsociable peers, depending on children's sex and age group, and (2) explore the associations between preschoolers' beliefs, emotions and intended affiliative preferences, depending on children's social behaviors and children's sex or age group. A total of 158 preschoolers aged 3-6 years were interviewed, using the Child Attributions Interview to assess their beliefs, emotions and intended affiliative preferences toward peers. Teachers completed the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale to assess children's prosocial behaviors, aggressive-anger, and anxious-withdrawal. Preschoolers' perspectives toward shy and unsociable peers were less negative than toward aggressive peers. However, participants in our sample were not fully aware of the different intentionality and social motivations of shy and unsociable peers. Higher levels of perceived social standing, social motivation and sympathy predicted higher affiliative preferences toward shy, unsociable, and aggressive peers. However, the magnitude of the associations between preschoolers' beliefs, emotions and intended affiliative preferences differed, depending on children's sex, age group and prosocial behavior, especially toward aggressive and shy peer behaviors. These findings are in line with the developmental attributional perspective, but highlight the need to account for developmental specificities, sex differences in peer relationships and children's individual differences in social behaviors.

Motivation for solitude, COVID-19-related anxiety and resilience among Indian medical students

Background

Recent reports indicate that self-isolation because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related lockdowns had significant influence on mental health of medical students.

Aim

To understand the relationship between two different motivations for solitude - self-determined versus non-self-determined with medical students' COVID-19-related anxiety and psychological resilience during their self-isolation because of COVID-19-related lockdowns.

Materials and Methods

After the approval of the Institutional Ethics Committee, this online survey was done on undergraduate Indian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expressing consent at the beginning of the online form, enabled the students to proceed to the next section comprising their sociodemographic details and clinical details. The last section of the form comprised the Motivation for Solitude Scale-Short Form, the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-Abbreviated.

Results

282 out of 286 students of either sex gave their consent and completed the given form. Both self-determined and non-self-determined motivations for solitude were higher in female medical students. The self-determined motivation for solitude was directly related to all students' resilience. A past history of psychiatric illness was directly associated with the non-self-determined motivation for solitude of the students. The non-self-directed motivation for solitude of female students was indirectly related to their resilience. The COVID-19-related anxiety was not related to either type of motivation for solitude as well as the resilience of the medical students.

Conclusion

Indian female medical students are more motivated for solitude, be it self-determined or non-self-determined, than their male counterparts. The student's resilience has a direct relationship with students' self-determined motivation. The COVID-19-related anxiety among the medical students is not related to their motivations for solitude or resilience.

Moderating effect of classroom sociable norm on the relations between unsociability and internalizing problems in Chinese adolescents

Objectives

The goal of the present study was to examine the moderating effect of classroom sociable norm on the relations between unsociability and internalizing problems (the indicators included depression, loneliness and self-esteem) in Chinese adolescents.

Methods

Participants were N = 1,160 adolescents in Grade 4-8 from Shanghai, People's Republic of China. They completed questionnaires about unsociability, sociability, and social preference via peer nominations, while depression, loneliness, and self-esteem were collected via self-report.

Results

It was found that unsociability was positively associated with depression and loneliness, and negatively associated with self-esteem. Moreover, the relations between unsociability and indicators of internalizing problems were moderated by classroom sociable norm. More specifically, the significant positive associations between unsociability and depression and loneliness were stronger in classrooms with high sociable norm, and the negative association between unsociability and self-esteem was only significant in such classrooms.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that classroom sociable norm plays an important role in unsociable adolescents' psychological adjustment in China. Researchers should focus more on the influence of classroom environment on adolescents' development in future.

Social avoidance and social adjustment in Chinese preschool migrant children: the moderating role of teacher-child relationships

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the moderating role of teacher-child relationships in the relations between social avoidance and social adjustment (i.e., prosocial behavior, peer exclusion, and anxious-fearful behavior) in Chinese migrant preschoolers.

Methods

Participants were 148 migrant children aged 4-6 years (82 boys, M_age = 62.32, SD = 6.67) attending kindergartens in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Mothers reported children's social avoidance, and teachers rated teacher-child relationships and children's social adjustment.

Results

Results indicated that social avoidance was positively related to peer exclusion and negatively related to prosocial behavior. Teacher-child relationships moderated those associations. Specifically, teacher-child closeness buffered the relationship between social avoidance and peer exclusion, whereas teacher-child conflict exacerbated the relations between social avoidance and peer exclusion and anxious-fearful behavior.

Conclusion

The current finding informs us of the importance of improving teacher-child closeness and reducing teacher-child conflict to buffer the negative adjustment among socially avoidant young children who migrated from rural-to-urban China. The findings also highlight the importance of considering the meaning and implication of social avoidance for migrant preschoolers in Chinese culture.

Theory of Mind and Young Children's Behaviour: Aggressive, Victimised, Prosocial, and Solitary

Theory of mind (ToM) undergoes significant developments during childhood, particularly between the ages of four and seven years. A growing body of research has indicated that children's social understanding may be related to their social behaviour with peers, in line with Theory Theory which proposes that children's social cognition is influenced by and influences their peer interactions. The current study examined the relationship between ToM and behaviour among 193 children aged 4-7 years. Children carried out a battery of ToM tasks, and teaching staff reported on children's aggressive, prosocial, and solitary behaviour and victimisation experiences. Aggression was not directly related to ToM; prosocial behaviour was positively associated with ToM for girls but not boys. Solitary behaviour and victimisation were negatively related to ToM. When this was broken down by gender, there was only a significant association between solitary behaviour and ToM for boys. When controlling for the relationship between behaviours, the only significant predictor of ToM was solitary behaviour for boys. ToM was also a significant predictor of solitary behaviour for boys, demonstrating that there is a bidirectional relationship at play. The findings highlight the importance of looking across these four behaviour types and understanding the relationship between behaviour profiles and ToM for boys and girls separately.

Longitudinal associations between specific types of emotional reactivity and psychological, physical health, and school adjustment

Using a multimethod, multiinformant longitudinal design, we examined associations between specific forms of positive and negative emotional reactivity at age 5, children's effortful control (EC), emotion regulation, and social skills at age 7, and adolescent functioning across psychological, academic, and physical health domains at ages 15/16 (N = 383). We examined how distinct components of childhood emotional reactivity directly and indirectly predict domain-specific forms of adolescent adjustment, thereby identifying developmental pathways between specific types of emotional reactivity and adjustment above and beyond the propensity to express other forms of emotional reactivity. Age 5 high-intensity positivity was associated with lower age 7 EC and more adolescent risk-taking; age 5 low-intensity positivity was associated with better age 7 EC and adolescent cardiovascular health, providing evidence for the heterogeneity of positive emotional reactivity. Indirect effects indicated that children's age 7 social skills partially explain several associations between age 5 fear and anger reactivity and adolescent adjustment. Moreover, age 5 anger reactivity, low-, and high-intensity positivity were associated with adolescent adjustment via age 7 EC. The findings from this interdisciplinary, long-term longitudinal study have significant implications for prevention and intervention work aiming to understand the role of emotional reactivity in the etiology of adjustment and psychopathology.

Friendship and Anxiety/Depression Symptoms in Boys With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

The transition to adolescence may be a challenging time for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This developmental period is marked by increased social demands and increasing anxiety and depression symptoms for many individuals with autism. As both of these factors may compound social difficulties and impact friendship experiences, this study explored the relations among autism symptom severity, internalizing symptoms, and friendship experiences in boys with and without ASD (with IQ > 75). Results showed that internalizing symptoms predicted quantity of close friendships in the ASD group. Given the observed relationship between internalizing symptoms and friendship experiences, social skills intervention programs should address possible internalizing symptoms associated with establishing/maintaining social relationships and perceived friendship quality.

Why and when does shyness hinder people from seeking advice?

Although it hasn’t been thoroughly proven yet, shyness may prevent people from seeking advice. The current study, which is grounded on social cognitive theory, seeks to understand how and why shyness affects advice-seeking. We specifically contend that shy people lack the social self-efficacy necessary to commence advice-seeking. In addition, we propose that this link is moderated by social support. We discovered that shyness was adversely correlated with social self-efficacy using a three-wave study with 240 participants and that the latter mediates the indirect association between shyness and advice-seeking. The indirect association between shyness and advice-seeking via social self-efficacy was further modulated by social support, such that the indirect effect was only significant when social support was low. We go over the theoretical and practical ramifications of our findings as well as potential research avenues.

Are you alone? Measuring solitude in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood

The goal of this review was to provide an overview of how solitude has been operationally defined and measured since the year 2000 in psychological studies of children, adolescents, and emerging adults. After applying exclusionary criteria, our review of the extant literature identified n = 19 empirical studies, which we grouped into three broad methodological categories: (1) experiments/manipulations (n = 5); (2) retrospective reports (n = 7); and (3) experience sampling measures (experience sampling methodology; n = 7). A review of these studies indicated considerable variation in how solitude is operationalized and measured. There is also a notable lack of studies measuring solitude in childhood. Implications for 'what matters' when assessing solitude are discussed, and we provide a series of suggestions for helping this research area move forward.

Unsociability and social adjustment of Chinese preschool migrant children: The moderating role of resilience

OBJECTIVES

The present study examined the moderating effect of children's resilience on the relations between unsociability and social adjustment (i.e., prosocial behaviors, peer exclusion, interpersonal skills, internalizing problems) in Chinese preschool migrant children.

METHODS

Participants were N = 148 children (82 boys, M _age = 62.32 months, SD = 6.76) attending two public kindergartens in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Mothers provided ratings of children's unsociability and resilience; teachers assessed children's social adjustment outcomes, and children reported their receptive vocabulary.

RESULTS

Unsociability was positively associated with peer exclusion and internalizing problems, and negatively associated with prosocial behaviors and interpersonal skills among Chinese preschool migrant children. Moreover, children's resilience significantly moderated the relationship between unsociability and social adjustment. Specifically, among children with lower levels of resilience, unsociability was significantly and positively associated with peer exclusion and internalizing problems, while among children with higher levels of resilience, unsociability was not associated with social adjustment difficulties.

CONCLUSION

The current findings inform us of the importance of improving children's resilience to buffer the negative adjustment among Chinese migrant unsociable young children. The findings also highlight the importance of considering the meaning and implication of unsociability for preschool migrant children in Chinese culture.

The role of early social play behaviors and language skills for shy children's later internalizing difficulties in school

Research has demonstrated links from early childhood shyness to socioemotional problems later in life. This longitudinal study explored the role of early social play behaviors and language skills in the associations between childhood shyness and later internalizing and language difficulties in school. Participants were N = 7,447 children (50.1% girls) from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Latent direct, indirect, and interaction path analyses were performed within a structural equation framework. Results showed that mother-rated childhood shyness from age 18 months to age five years was associated with mother-rated internalizing difficulties and language problems at age eight years. Lower levels of teacher-reported social play behaviors and poorer language skills in preschool increased the risk of later anxiety problems among shy children, whereas higher levels of language competencies and social play behaviors buffered against later anxiety problems. The study identifies some of the early risk and protective factors that may influence shy children's socio-emotional functioning and adjustment.

Relation between Shyness and Music Academic Engagement: The Mediation of Achievement Goals-A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Music discipline that emphasizes expression, performance and collaboration may cause difficulties for shy students who are prone to anxiety about social interaction, which might cause low music academic engagement and achievement. According to Models of Personality and Affect regarding the role of psychological constructs in educational contexts, shyness and academic engagement are the first and third-level variables, respectively. We hypothesized that achievement goals might be the second-level variable between shyness and academic engagement. Two hypotheses were proposed in the study: (1) shyness is negatively related to music academic engagement; (2) the music achievement goals mediate shyness and music academic engagement. The research was conducted in May 2022. A total of 515 college students who major in music were randomly recruited from a public university in Shanxi province, China. A 20 min self-report questionnaire was conducted as the data collection method. The research results revealed the following: (1) shyness was negatively associated with musical academic engagement; (2) the music mastery goals and the music performance avoidance goals (excluding the performance approach goal) partially mediated the association between shyness and music academic engagement in music learning. These findings have implications for the research and practice of music academic engagement of shyness.

Social Avoidance and Social Adjustment in Chinese Preschool Migrant Children: The Moderating Role of Household Chaos and Gender

The present study explored the moderating role of household chaos and gender in the relation between social avoidance and social adjustment among Chinese preschool migrant children. Participants were 148 children (82 boys, M_age = 62.63 months, SD = 0.05) from two kindergartens, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Multi-source assessments included: (1) mother ratings of children's social avoidance; (2) mother ratings of families' household chaos; (3) teacher ratings of children's prosocial behavior, peer exclusion, interpersonal skills, and internalizing problems. Results showed that social avoidance significantly predicted peer exclusion among Chinese migrant preschoolers. Moreover, household chaos moderated the relationship between social avoidance and social adjustment. Specifically, at higher levels of household chaos, social avoidance was negatively associated with interpersonal skills. In contrast, social avoidance was not associated with interpersonal skills at a lower level of household chaos. In addition, social avoidance was positively associated with peer exclusion among boys but not girls. The current findings inform us of the importance of reducing household chaos to buffer the negative adjustment among socially avoidant young children who migrated from rural to urban China. The findings also highlight the need to pay particular attention to migrant socially avoidant boys' development in early childhood and the importance of considering the meaning and implication of social avoidance for migrant preschoolers in Chinese culture.

The moderating effect of marital conflict on the relationship between social avoidance and socio-emotional functioning among young children in suburban China

Social avoidance has been found to be related to negative social adjustment, yet evidence of the relationship between social avoidance and social adjustment is very limited in suburban preschoolers in China. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms that help to explain the associations between social avoidance and socio-emotional adjustment remain poorly considered. The goal of the present study was to examine the moderating effect of marital conflict in the link between social avoidance and indices of socio-emotional functioning among young children in mainland China. Participants were N = 256 children aged from 49 to 72 months (125 boys, 131 girls, M_age  = 59.06 months, SD = 6.58) attending preschools/kindergartens in suburban areas of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Multi-source assessments were employed, with mothers reporting marital conflict as well as rating their children's social withdrawal (i.e., social avoidance, shyness, unsociability), and teachers assessing indices of children's socio-emotional functioning at school (i.e., anxious-fearful behavior, peer exclusion, and loneliness). Children were asked about their loneliness. Among the results, social avoidance was positively associated with anxious-fearful behavior, peer exclusion, and loneliness (marginal significance). Moreover, as hypothesized, marital conflict was found to exacerbate the relations between social avoidance and peer exclusion, and loneliness. Results are discussed in terms of the etiology and implications of social avoidance among young children in mainland China.

Social withdrawal and academic achievement, intertwined over years? Bidirectional effects from primary to upper secondary school

BACKGROUND

Socially withdrawn children tend to perform poorer academically than their peers. What remains unknown, is the temporal ordering of the two phenomena. Also, substantial gender differences exist in both social withdrawal and academic achievement; thus, it is conceivable that the strength of the relation between them is gendered as well.

AIMS

To investigate cross-sectional correlates and test directional effects of social withdrawal and academic achievement from primary to upper secondary school, and to examine potential gendered effects.

METHODS

Prospective associations were analysed from age 6 to age 14 using biannual teacher ratings of children's social withdrawal and academic achievement in a representative community sample (n = 845), by means of random intercept cross-lagged panel modelling.

RESULTS

In boys, increased academic achievement at ages 8 and 12 forecasted decreased social withdrawal 2 years later, whereas increased social withdrawal at age 10 predicted reduced academic achievement at age 12. No such effects were seen in girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Social withdrawal and academic achievement are bidirectionally related among boys, but not girls. Results are discussed in light of need-to-belong theory, and practical implications for schools and teachers are illuminated.

The Development of Criterion A Personality Pathology: The Relevance of Childhood Social Functioning for Young Adult Daily Self-Functioning

The DSM-5 alternative model for the diagnosis of personality disorders (AMPD) states that self- and interpersonal (Criterion A) dysfunction is necessary to diagnose a personality disorder, qualified by maladaptive personality trait profiles (Criterion B). This study tested whether childhood maladaptive personality traits predict interpersonal dysfunction during adolescence, which further predicts lower self-functioning in young adulthood. A mixed clinical-community sample of 157 10-year-olds participated for ten years. Social problems and personality traits were rated by parents at age 10 and 12. At age 20, young adults completed 14 daily ratings of self-functioning. Traits of emotional instability and disagreeableness predicted social problems and self-problems. Social problems predicted worse self-functioning in adulthood. An indirect effect of childhood narcissistic traits on higher levels of self-functioning via lower levels of social problems was found. Results are discussed in terms of their contribution to our understanding of the AMPD from a developmental perspective.

Cross-cultural measurement of social withdrawal motivations across 10 countries using multiple-group factor analysis alignment

The goal of this study was to evaluate the measurement invariance of an adapted assessment of motivations for social withdrawal ( Social Preference Scale–Revised; SPS-R) across cultural contexts and explore associations with loneliness. Participants were a large sample of university students ( N = 4,397; Mage = 20.08 years, SD = 2.96; 66% females) from 10 countries (Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, India, Italy, South Korea, Norway, Turkey, and the United States). With this cross-cultural focus, we illustrate the multiple-group factor analysis alignment method, an approach developed to assess measurement invariance when there are several groups. Results indicated approximate measurement invariance across the 10 country groups. Additional analyses indicated that overall, shyness, avoidance, and unsociability are three related, but distinct factors, with some notable country differences evident (e.g., in China, India, and Turkey). Shyness and avoidance were related positively to loneliness in all countries, but the strength of the association between shyness and loneliness differed in Italy and India relative to the other countries. Results also indicated that unsociability was related positively to loneliness in the United States only. Theoretical and assessment implications are discussed.

Unsociability and Psychological and School Adjustment in Chinese Children: The Moderating Effects of Peer Group Cultural Orientations

This study examined the moderating effects of cultural orientations of peer groups on the relations between unsociability and psychological and school adjustment in Chinese children. Participants included 1,092 students (527 boys, M age = 12.21 years) in the sixth grade in elementary schools. Data on individualistic and collectivistic cultural orientations, unsociability, and adjustment were obtained from multiple sources including peer nominations, teacher ratings, self-reports, and school records. Using the Social Cognitive Map method, 193 peer groups were identified. Among the results, unsociability was negatively associated with peer preference and academic achievement in groups low on individualistic orientation but not in groups high on individualistic orientation. Unsociability was also negatively associated with peer preference more strongly in groups with higher scores of collectivistic orientation. The results suggested that, in general, unsociable children performed better in social and academical areas in more individualistically oriented groups and less collectivistically oriented groups. The cultural context of peer groups may play a significant role in shaping social and school adjustment of unsociable children.

Are fearful boys at higher risk for anxiety? Person-centered profiles of toddler fearful behavior predict anxious behaviors at age 6

Dysregulated fear (DF), the presence of fearful behaviors in both low-threat and high-threat contexts, is associated with child anxiety symptoms during early childhood (e.g., Buss et al., 2013). However, not all children with DF go on to develop an anxiety disorder (Buss and McDoniel, 2016). This study leveraged the data from two longitudinal cohorts (N = 261) to (1) use person-centered methods to identify profiles of fearful temperament, (2) replicate the findings linking DF to anxiety behaviors in kindergarten, (3) test if child sex moderates associations between DF and anxiety behaviors, and (4) examine the consistency of findings across multiple informants of child anxiety behaviors. We identified a normative fear profile (low fear in low-threat contexts; high fear in high-threat contexts), a low fear profile (low fear across both low- and high-threat contexts) and a DF profile (high fear across both low- and high-threat contexts). Results showed that probability of DF profile membership was significantly associated with child self-reported overanxiousness, but not with parent-reported overanxiousness. Associations between DF profile membership and overanxiousness was moderated by child sex such that these associations were significant for boys only. Additionally, results showed that probability of DF profile membership was associated with both parent-reported social withdrawal and observations of social reticence, but there were no significant associations with child self-report of social withdrawal. Results highlight the importance of considering person-centered profiles of fearful temperament across different emotion-eliciting contexts, and the importance of using multiple informants to understand associations with temperamental risk for child anxiety.

Social withdrawal and psychological well-being in later life: does marital status matter?

Objectives: Personality researchers have found that dispositional traits are typically stabile over the life course, but shyness is one trait that has rarely been examined in later life. Shyness as a global trait has been linked negatively to multiple psychological indices of childhood well-being, including loneliness. Despite the fact that older adults may already be at risk for experiencing heightened loneliness, regret, or decreased fulfillment, research has not assessed these experiences in relation to personality in later life. In the past few decades, research on social withdrawal has moved beyond treating shyness as a global trait and started to examine the multiple motivations behind socially withdrawn behavior.Method: Employing data from 309 older participants of the Huntsman Senior Games, the current study used regression analyses to examine the potential relations between three forms of withdrawal (shyness, avoidance, and unsociability) and loneliness, regret, and fulfillment in later life.Results and Conclusion: Results indicated that shyness, avoidance, and unsociability, respectively, were significantly associated with increased loneliness and regret, and decreased fulfillment. Further, marital status (married, divorced, widowed) moderated links between withdrawal and psychological indices of well-being in later life.