This autoethnography traces the ten-year journey of one teacher's interest in and exploration of the experiences in English classes of high-achieving quiet students. Named Quiet Intellects (QIs), these students rarely or do not speak during the many district- and curricula-mandated evaluative tasks in my district that demand their oral…

This study investigated links between motivations for social withdrawal, time spent alone, and indices of internalizing difficulties. Participants were 169 (n = 96 girls) children and early adolescents aged 8-14 years (M[subscript age] = 10.82, SD = 1.78). Children completed self-report measures of motivations for social withdrawal (shyness,…

Research by Xinyin Chen and others has documented that in past decades, shyness in Chinese children was associated with leadership, peer-acceptance, and academic achievement. In contemporary China, shyness predicts maladaptive youth outcomes. Although social, political, and economic transitions are presumed to be responsible for this shift, little…

Educators often look for ways to bring quiet children out of their shells, but emerging research suggests schools can improve academic outcomes for introverted students by reducing the pressure to be outgoing and giving all students a little more time to reflect. A 2011 study found teachers from across K-12 rated hypothetical quiet children as…

This study examined the process of adjustment in shy and nonshy children during the transition to school in a Chinese community. Children (35 shy and 19 nonshy) were assessed three times before and after they entered the first grade. Shy and nonshy children's interactions with peers and teachers, perceived peer acceptance, and anxious behaviour…

The study examined the contribution of reinforcement sensitivity to childhood personality at three levels of the hierarchical structure, mid-level traits, the Big Five and two higher-order factors, and the moderating role of sex and age in a sample of 3-18-year-olds. The canonical correlation analyses indicated that reinforcement sensitivity and…

This study examines the relation between shyness, social support and depressive symptoms in a sample of 259 students (aged 14-16 years) in two secondary schools. Results at both time-points showed positive associations of depressive symptoms with shyness and with being female and negative associations of depressive symptoms with social support and…

We examined receptive language and academic abilities in children with selective mutism (SM; n = 30; M age = 8.8 years), anxiety disorders (n = 46; M age = 9.3 years), and community controls (n = 27; M age = 7.8 years). Receptive language and academic abilities were assessed using standardized tests completed in the laboratory. We found a…

Parents of 30-month-old children were assessed on measures of affectivity, personality, and behavior. Parents of inhibited children showed lower extraversion, higher avoidance and shyness, and faster drawing times on a task that involved uncertainty than did parents of uninhibited children. (Author/BC)

Mothers of 3-year-old girls completed measures of parenting patterns and perceived power. Fathers and mothers assessed their daughters' fearfulness and extraversion. Found that low-power mothers appeared to assert greater or lesser control depending on their daughter's temperamental characteristics; mothers behaved in a more authoritarian manner…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the conceptual nature of shyness by examining its relationship with social phobia and social anxiety in a non-clinical sample. The participants in the present study were 132 introductory psychology students who completed the Cheek-Buss Shyness Scale (CBSS), Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), and Liebowitz…

Noting that some forms of solitude may reflect maladaptation, while others may not, this book seeks to promote better understanding of the developmental meanings, causes, and courses of social solitude in childhood. The five sections of the book cover conceptual and methodological issues; biological and familial factors; social behaviors, skills,…

A prospective study investigated associations between preschool temperament and environmental factors and school-age personality in 93 Swedish children. Found that personality was predicted by early temperament and environmental factors such as external day care and negative life events. Extraversion was most clearly related to temperament.…

Examined whether the apparent absence of an egocentric bias among shy individuals is reflected in their excuse making following poor performance and whether anticipating a challenge to one's excuses would dissuade even nonshy individuals from making excuses. Shy individuals refrained form making consistency-lowering excuses regardless of…

Written primarily for teachers who are expected or willing to invest significantly in the socialization role along with their other teaching roles, this report describes results of a classroom strategy study of how elementary school teachers cope with problem students. The report is divided into six parts. Part 1 discusses general principles and…