Shyness and parental emotion socialization: impacts on the social competence of preschool children attending Head Start

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Emily K. Andrews (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Julia Mendez Smith

Abstract: Shyness in early childhood has been associated with less adaptive outcomes, including less social skill with peers, higher levels of peer rejection and poorer adjustment to formal schooling (Coplan, Prakash, O’Neil & Armer, 2004; Gazelle & Ladd, 2003; Gazelle & Spangler, 2007; Rubin & Borwick, 1984). Beyond early childhood, children who remain shy continue to experience peer rejection, have fewer friendships and experience higher levels of internalizing problems (Erath et al., 2007; Henderson et al., 2004; Pederson et al., 2007). While researchers have identified parenting behaviors that can undermine the social emotional development of shy children, relatively less is known about parenting behaviors that may facilitate growth for shy children. Additionally, the relations between shyness, parenting and child social emotional outcomes have not been examined within low-income, ethnic minority populations. The current study examines: 1) the relations between child shyness, family risk and social competence and 2) the moderating roles of parental emotion socialization practices and contextual risk on the relation between child shyness and social competence. Using a sample of 123 children attending Head Start and their caregivers, results indicated associations in the expected direction between parental supportive emotion socialization practices and authoritative parenting as well as between family risk and parental depressive symptoms. Study hypotheses relating supportive emotion socialization practices and family risk to the relation between child shyness and social competence were not supported. Additional study findings as well as implications for future research are discussed.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2016
Keywords
Emotion socialization, Head Start, Shyness, Social competence
Subjects
Bashfulness in children
Emotions in children
Social interaction in children
Social skills in children
Parent and child $x Psychological aspects
Children with social disabilities $x Education (Preschool)

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