Shyness in first-grade children: The relation to internalizing problems and self-perceptions of social acceptance

This study examined the relationship between children's shyness, language, internalizing problems and self-perceptions of peer and maternal acceptance. One hundred and five first-grade children were assessed for shyness by peers and teachers. Classmates were able to identify shy peers at a similar rate as teachers. Children were also assessed for their self-perceived social acceptance and for language skills. No significant relation was found between shyness and children's self-perceived social acceptance. Shyness was significantly and positively associated with anxiety/depressed and withdrawn/depressed problems as reported by teachers. Language was significantly and negatively correlated with withdrawn/depressed scores. In regression analyses, no moderation effect was found between language and shyness. However, a significant additive effect was identified. Shyness and language each predicted unique variance in children's internalizing problems and social acceptance. Teacher-reported shyness and language predicted 24% and 6% unique variance, respectively, in children's withdrawn/depression scores. Evidence was also found that language partially mediated the relationship between shyness and withdrawn/depressed scores. Language appears to influence withdrawal/depressive tendencies for shy first-grade children, perhaps through enhancing their social entry skills and subsequently decreasing social isolation. Clinical implications of shyness in young children are discussed.