Relations of shyness–sensitivity and unsociability with adjustment in middle childhood and early adolescence in suburban Chinese children

Abstract

This study examined how shyness–sensitivity and unsociability were associated with social, school, and psychological adjustment in Chinese children and adolescents. Participants included 564 children (272 boys, Mage=9 years) and 462 adolescents (246 boys, Mage=13 years) in a suburban region in China. Data were obtained from peer assessments, sociometric nominations, teacher-ratings, self-reports, and school records. The results showed that relations of shyness and unsociability with adjustment differed in middle childhood and early adolescence. Shyness tended to be associated with social and psychological problems more evidently in adolescence than in childhood. In contrast, unsociability was associated with problems more evidently across domains in childhood than in adolescence. The results indicate that the implications of the two main forms of social withdrawal may vary across developmental periods.

Unsociability in Chinese adolescents: Cross‐informant agreement and relations with social and school adjustment

“…In China, empirical findings regarding unsociability and adjustment have been consistent across social contexts [urban, suburban, rural; note that methodology (e.g., informant, measures) has been relatively homogenous]. Consistent with the theoretical expectation, peer‐reported unsociability has been associated with pervasive concurrent adjustment problems in Chinese children and adolescents (Ding et al, ; Liu et al, ; Liu, Chen, et al, ; Liu et al, ). In the social domain, peer‐reported unsociability has been associated with peer problems, such as low peer preference and high peer rejection and victimization.…”

“…Unsociability has received less attention than shyness in the literature, perhaps because unsociable behaviors historically have been considered relatively benign in Western culture (e.g., Coplan, Prakash, O'Neil, & Armer, ). In recent years, accumulating evidence has suggested that in non‐Western cultures, primarily in China, unsociability is associated with social and school maladjustment (e.g., Ding, Weeks, Liu, Sang, & Zhou, ; Liu et al, ). Researchers have often attributed the inconsistent findings to cultural differences, arguing that unsociability may be considered more unacceptable in collectivistic cultures emphasizing group affiliation than in individualistic cultures emphasizing independence (Chen, ).…”

“…Moreover, peer‐reported unsociability has predicted increases in peer problems and internalizing problems over time (Liu et al, ). In terms of the developmental period, one study suggested that the associations between peer‐reported unsociability and negative social and psychological adjustment were stronger in childhood than in adolescence (Liu et al, ).…”

Do cultural orientations moderate the relation between Chinese adolescents’ shyness and depressive symptoms? It depends on their academic achievement

“…Therefore, shy children with high collectivistic values and low individualistic values may have better adjustment outcomes because they may view their shyness positively through the lens of cultural values. Although some studies have revealed cross‐country or ‐region differences suggesting collectivistic and individualistic cultural values may impact shy children’s adjustment (e.g., Chen, Wang, & Wang, ; Liu et al, ), no researcher has investigated directly the process of how individualistic and collectivistic cultural values influence shy children’s adjustment.…”

“…The aforementioned findings suggest positive self‐ and other‐evaluation (evaluating behavior as appropriate through the lens of cultural values) in social and academic domains may be especially salient for shy Chinese adolescents’ adjustment. Firstly, shyness in China has been associated with more negative outcomes during adolescence than childhood, perhaps because assertiveness and individuality are highly valued in adolescence (Liu et al, ). Because adolescence is a period for identity development characterized by differentiating actual and ideal selves and self‐acceptance (Côté, ), self‐evaluation through the lens of cultural values may be especially crucial for shy adolescents’ adjustment.…”