Exploring the Role of Teacher–Child Relationships in the Longitudinal Associations Between Childhood Shyness and Social Functioning at School: A Prospective Cohort Study (original) (raw)
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Parent vs. teacher ratings of children's shyness as predictors of language and attention skills
Learning and Individual Differences, 2014
Shyness in childhood has been linked to multiple adjustment outcomes, including poor peer relations, internalizing problems, and clinical anxiety. However, shyness does not consistently emerge as a negative predictor of children's success. This incongruity may stem, in part, from variations in the operationalization and measurement of shyness in different studies. Researchers often combine parent and teacher ratings of shyness, but correlations between parent and teacher reports are consistently small to medium. The purpose of this study is to examine parent and teacher ratings of shyness as they predict language and attention skills in preschool children, and explore discrepancies between parent and teacher ratings of shyness. Participants were 104 preschool children (48 males, 56 females), enrolled in 22 classrooms. Results from multi-level modeling revealed that teacher, but not parent, ratings of shyness using the shyness subscale of the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) were significantly and negatively associated with children's early language and attention skills. Follow-up exploratory factor analyses with parent and teacher CBQ shyness subscale ratings revealed a similar two-factor structure reflecting shyness and low sociability. Results suggest that a) discrepancies between parents' and teachers' views of children's shy behaviors may stem from the different contexts and developmental time periods in which they observe children, and b) teachers' ratings of shyness are more closely associated with children's skills in an academic setting. Implications for research are discussed.
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Shyness, feelings of uneasiness or hesitation when faced with a novel or unfamiliar social situation, in early childhood has been found to be a risk factor for social difficulties later in life. When combined with fitting parenting, however, outcomes of shyness can be less detrimental. The present study examined the joint effects of children's shyness and mothers' and fathers' parenting on the development of children's pro-social behaviors during early schooling years. A total of 200 children were rated by their parents on their shyness at age 3 and on their pro-social behaviors at ages 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. The children's mothers (n = 185) and fathers (n = 175) completed questionnaires measuring their levels of affection and behavioral control when the children were four years old. The results of the Latent Growth Curve modeling showed that, although maternal and parental affection were related to high levels of pro-social behavior for both shy and non-shy children, shy children, in particular, benefitted from parental affection in terms of their subsequent development of pro-social behaviors. The results further showed that paternal behavioral control was positively associated with pro-social behavioral levels among non-shy children only.
Maternal and child predictors of preschool children's social competence
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2004
The present study examined child and maternal predictors of children's social competence in preschool. One hundred ten mothers and their preschool-aged children participated. Mothers completed parent reports of child temperament and self-regulation, and self-reports of maternal separation anxiety. Mothers' interactional style was coded from videotapes during preschool. Teachers rated children's social competence at the end of the first semester of school. Child age, temperament and self-regulation, and maternal characteristics predicted children's social competence. The interaction of anger proneness and self-regulation predicted both externalizing and prosocial behavior. Finally, children with greater risk factors were lower on prosocial behavior and higher on externalizing behavior than children with fewer risk factors. Results indicate that maternal and child characteristics may be used to identify children at risk for lower social competence in preschool, such that interventions may be implemented.
Journal of applied …, 2007
This study investigated family and classroom characteristics associated with parents' and teachers' ratings of 183 preschool children's social competence. Results of multilevel modeling indicated that teachers' negative ratings of the children were predicted by negative teacher behaviors and less optimal classroom climate. Children with higher stress were more likely to demonstrate low social competence when in class with other children with less optimal social competencies. Teachers' positive ratings of the preschooler's social competence were predicted by positive assessments of classroom climate and teacher behaviors. Positive classroom climate appeared to mediate the relationship between teacher behaviors and preschoolers' social competence. Path analyses indicated that higher socioeconomic status directly predicted parent ratings of social competence. Paths between child stress and parent ratings of social competence were significant as were paths between teachers' ratings of preschoolers' competence at school and parent ratings of social competence. These findings have implications for teacher training and parent education programs.
Child Development, 1998
The relations of teachers' and parents' reports of children's shyness (i.e., social inhibition) at ages 6-8, 8-10, and 10-12 years to dispositional regulation, emotionality, and coping were examined. Shyness was positively related to internalizing negative emotion, coping by doing nothing, and, for parent-rated shyness, behavioral inhibition / nonimpulsivity, attention focusing, and avoidant coping; it was negatively related to positive emotionality, instrumental coping, seeking support from teachers (at younger ages), and for teacher-rated shyness, attentional control. Often prediction held over several years and/or across reporters. Parent-reported internalizing negative emotion at age 4-6 predicted shyness at ages 6-8 and 8-10, but primarily for children low in attention shifting. Teacher-rated shyness was related to low social status; parent-rated shyness correlated with boys' adult-rated social status at age 4-6 and with style of social interaction, particularly for girls. The relation between parent-and teacher-reported shyness decreased with age. The overall pattern of findings was partially consistent with the conclusion that parent-rated shyness reflected primarily social wariness with unfamiliar people (i.e., temperamental shyness), whereas teacher-rated shyness tapped social inhibition due to social evaluative concerns.
BMC psychology, 2014
The impact of peer relationships has been extensively reported during adolescence, when peer influence is generally considered to be at its greatest. Research on social isolation during childhood has found associations with school achievement, future relationships and adult mental health. Much of the evidence is derived from either parent or child-rated assessment of peer relationships, each of which have their limitations. We report findings from Goodman's Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), completed by staff in preschool establishments for over 10,000 children in their preschool year (aged 4-5), linked with routine demographic data. Correlations between scores and demographics were explored. Regression models examined the independent relationships between three social isolation variables, taken from the SDQ Peer Relationship Problems, Pro-social Behaviour and Emotional Symptoms subscales, controlling for demographics. There were substantial overlaps between proble...
Educational Studies, 2020
The aim of the study was to understand the relationship between shyness in school-age children and variables such as teacher perception of school achievement, fluid intelligence and self-efficacy in various areas of functioning. The participants were 466 Polish primary school children (boys n = 239, girls n = 227; M age = 9.55 years, SD =.9). Shyness was negatively associated with school achievement as reported by teachers, fluid intelligence, and self-efficacy. Results from mediation analyses demonstrated that self-efficacy in learning mediated the relationships between shyness and school achievement and fluid intelligence. In addition the relationship between shyness and school achievement was also mediated by the self-efficacy with respect to self-control in school and social situations. The results indicate that shy children's relatively low school achievement and low scores in various standardised tests may be the result of personality differences, e.g. in self-efficacy. Future studies are needed to explore the relationship between shyness and self-efficacy.
Social Competence Among 6-year-old Children and Classroom Instructional Support and Teacher Stress
Early Education & Development, 2013
Research Findings: This study examined the extent to which observed classroom quality and teacher stress are associated with children's social competence in classrooms of 6-year-old children (kindergartners in Finland). Assessments of academic pre-skills were available for a total of 1,268 children, and kindergarten teacher ratings of social competence were available for a total of 1,222 children. The kindergarten teachers (N ¼ 137) also provided ratings of their work-related stress.
Hierarchical models of social competence in preschool children: A multisite, multinational study
Child …, 2009
The generality of a multilevel factorial model of social competence (SC) for preschool children was tested in a 5-group, multinational sample (N = 1,540) using confirmatory factor analysis. The model fits the observed data well, and tests constraining paths for measured variables to their respective first-order factors across samples also fit well. Equivalence of measurement models was found at sample and sex within-sample levels but not for age within sample. In 2 groups, teachers' ratings were examined as correlates of SC indicators. Composites of SC indicators were significantly associated with both positive and negative child attributes from the teachers' ratings. The findings contribute to understanding of both methodological and substantive issues concerning SC in young children.