Poster #129 - Exploring Links between Shyness, Screen Time, and Socio-Emotional Functioning in Young Chinese Children

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Shyness is a temperamental trait characterized by fear, wariness, and socio-evaluative concerns in social situations (Rubin et al., 2009). Whereas childhood shyness was once viewed as an adaptive trait and associated with positive outcomes in mainland China (Chen et al., 1995), more recent research suggests that shyness among Chinese children is now concurrently and predictively related to a range of developmental difficulties, including academic problems (e.g., language acquisition), internalizing issues (e.g., loneliness, social anxiety), and peer difficulties (e.g., peer rejection) (Xiao et al., 2021; Zhu et al., 2020). One factor that has yet to be explored in the context of shyness is technology use. By age 5 years, Chinese children spend over 3 hours a day exposed to screens (Hu et al., 2020). Moreover, young children engaging in high levels of television use are more likely to experience problems with executive functioning and struggle to develop academic, language, and social skills (Hu et al., 2020; McArthur et al., 2021). This may be because screen use can cause children to forgo opportunities to engage in social interactions, sociodramatic play, and so forth. As such, shy children who routinely engage with screens rather than peers may be particularly at risk for negative adjustment outcomes. Thus, the primary goal of the present study was to examine the moderating role of screen use in the links between shyness and indices of social-emotional and learning difficulties among young children in China. It was predicted that an increase in screen time would exacerbate the associations between shyness and social-emotional problems and school adjustment difficulties (e.g., hyperactivity, prosocial behavior, conduct problems). Participants were N = 211 children (99 girls; Mage = 58.84 months, SD = 5.32) recruited from two public kindergartens in Shanghai, PR. China. Mothers rated children’s shyness (Child Social Preference Scale), socio-emotional functioning (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and daily screen time (e.g., TV, smartphones/tablets, computers). Teachers also rated children’s adjustment at kindergarten (Social Skills Teacher Rating System). Among the results, shyness was positively and significantly associated with emotional symptoms (r=.29, p<.01) and peer problems (r=.19, p<.05) but not screen time (r= .05, ns). However, results from linear modelling indicated significant Shyness x Screen time interactions in the prediction of internalizing problems and learning problems (see Table 1). Results from follow up simple slopes analyses (using the Johnson-Neyman technique; Johnson & Fay, 1950) indicated that increased screen time served to exacerbate the links between shyness and school adjustment difficulties (e.g., see Figure 1). Results are discussed in terms of the importance of parental monitoring with regards to screen time, to bolster socio-emotional outcomes among young shy children.

Authors

• Laura NA Polakova, Carleton University
  Presenting Author

• Alicia McVarnock, Carleton university

• Jingjing Zhu, Shanghai Normal University

• Yan Li, Shanghai Normal University

• Robert J. Coplan, Carleton University