Roots of Shyness:: The Interplay between Shy Behavior, Child Habits, and Parental Distress.

Aim: In view of the serious negative consequences that shyness and anxious behavior can entail on children's quality of life, namely higher risks for internalizing problems, relationship difficulties, peer rejection and victimization, school adjustment issues, and poor academic success, we explored possible predictors. It was investigated whether parental stress, sleep disturbances, and physical activity predict shy behavior in five-year-old children. Methods: The study was based on the collected data from “The Cool Little Kids” project in collaboration with the "Jij en Je Gezondheid" study from the “Gemeentelijke Gezondheitsdiensten”. The survey had a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 4855 (51.66% girls), with a mean age of 5.1 (SD: 0.5, range from 4 to 7). The data was collected in the regions Amsterdam and Groningen in the years 2021 and 2022 through parental report questionnaires about the well-being of the children. Results: The study outcome supports the positive...Show moreAim: In view of the serious negative consequences that shyness and anxious behavior can entail on children's quality of life, namely higher risks for internalizing problems, relationship difficulties, peer rejection and victimization, school adjustment issues, and poor academic success, we explored possible predictors. It was investigated whether parental stress, sleep disturbances, and physical activity predict shy behavior in five-year-old children. Methods: The study was based on the collected data from “The Cool Little Kids” project in collaboration with the "Jij en Je Gezondheid" study from the “Gemeentelijke Gezondheitsdiensten”. The survey had a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 4855 (51.66% girls), with a mean age of 5.1 (SD: 0.5, range from 4 to 7). The data was collected in the regions Amsterdam and Groningen in the years 2021 and 2022 through parental report questionnaires about the well-being of the children. Results: The study outcome supports the positive correlation of parental stress, sleep disturbances, and physical inactivity with shyness. However, the effect sizes of the model and the individual predictors are small. Conclusion: The obtained results underline the impact of parental stress and child habits on shyness. For an improved quality of life for children in their early and forthcoming life stages, the current focus on social anxiety disorders deserves an even shift to factors favoring shyness. This paper might serve as a guideline regarding the factors to be addressed considering future research and intervention programs for shy and anxious children.Show less

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Roots of Shyness: The Interplay between Shy Behavior, Child Habits, and Parental Distress.