Frontal brain maturation and the stability of children’s shyness

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that relative to nonshy children, shy children exhibit a lower overall frontal EEG alpha/delta ratio (ADR) during middle childhood, possibly reflecting relatively less frontal brain maturation at this age. We examined this same ADR measure in relation to the stability of observed shyness and parent‐reported child social anxiety measured across two laboratory visits separated by approximately 1 year during late childhood in 51 children (33% female, age range 10–16 years). We found that the overall frontal ADR score was significantly lower among children with high, stable observed shyness and parent‐reported child social anxiety compared to children in the low, stable class. Findings provide convergent evidence suggesting that the stability of shyness in late childhood may be linked to relatively less overall frontal brain maturation at this age. We speculate on the adaptive function of delaying frontal brain maturation in the origins and maintenance of children's shyness.

Impact of Shyness on Self-Esteem: The Mediating Effect of Self-Presentation

“…The last of these variables is of interest for at least two reasons. First, shyness occurs in a considerable number of people at some point in their lives [ 28 , 29 , 30 ] and, second, shyness is a social phenomenon and, as such, may affect the sense of self-esteem [ 31 ]. Empirical findings display that shyness correlates negatively with self-esteem among preschoolers [ 32 ], school children [ 33 , 34 ], adolescents [ 35 , 36 ], as well as younger [ 37 , 38 , 39 ] and older adults [ 31 ].…”

Quantitative susceptibility mapping shows lower brain iron content in children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder

“…The functions of the frontal lobe include movement, memory, judgment, analysis and thinking, etc. Therefore, abnormalities of the frontal lobe can lead to abnormalities in movement, memory, and other aspects (Alsultan, Alaboudi, Almousa, Alajaji, & Bashir, 2020; Oades, 1998; Rolls et al, 2020; Ronan, Alexander‐Bloch, & Fletcher, 2020; Schmidt & Poole, 2020). The results show that the iron content in the frontal lobe of children with ADHD is lower than that of healthy children, and the decrease of iron content may also lead to neurodevelopmental abnormalities in the frontal lobe, and ultimately lead to behavioral abnormalities in children with ADHD.…”

Developmental changes in the structure of shyness and internalizing symptoms from early to middle childhood: A network analysis

“…In recent years, there has been increased interest in the development and implications of shyness in childhood and adolescence (Schmidt & Poole, 2020). However, varying conceptualizations and assessments of shyness point to a need for increased clarity regarding this construct.…”