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Shyness and Socio-Emotional Adjustment among Young Chinese Children: The Moderating Role of Screen Time

Jingjing Zhu1, Alicia McVarnock2, Laura Polakova2

  • 1Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, No. 100 Guilin Rd., Shanghai 200234, China.

Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 27, 2023
PubMed

Insights

High screen time exacerbates the negative effects of shyness on socio-emotional adjustment in young children. This study highlights the importance of managing screen time for children

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Media Psychology

Background:

  • Shyness is a common childhood temperament trait.
  • Socio-emotional adjustment is crucial for early development.
  • Screen time is increasingly prevalent among young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the moderating role of screen time.
  • To examine the relationship between shyness and socio-emotional adjustment.
  • To understand these dynamics in young Chinese children.

Main Methods:

  • 211 children (43-66 months) participated.
  • Mothers reported on child shyness and screen time.
  • Mothers and teachers assessed socio-emotional functioning.

Main Results:

  • Shyness linked to more internalizing problems and less prosocial behavior.
  • Screen time positively associated with internalizing problems.
  • Shyness and screen time interacted, worsening socio-emotional difficulties at higher screen time levels.

Conclusions:

  • Screen time can amplify the negative socio-emotional consequences of shyness in early childhood.
  • Managing screen time is important for mitigating shyness-related difficulties.
  • Findings have implications for parenting and early childhood education.

Keywords:
Chinascreen timeshynesssocio-emotional adjustmentyoung children

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