title: Social Sensitivity and Adjustment in Chinese and Canadian Children.
abstract: This study examined relations of social sensitivity to socioemotional and school adjustment in Chinese and Canadian children. Participants were fourth- to eighth-grade students (Mage  = 12 years) in China (n = 723) and Canada (n = 568). Data were obtained from multiple sources. The analyses revealed that the pattern of relations between social sensitivity and indexes of adjustment differed in the two countries. Social sensitivity was negatively associated with social and school adjustment and positively associated with psychological distress in Canadian children. However, social sensitivity was positively associated with school competence and psychological well-being in Chinese children. The results indicate that children's social sensitivity may have different functional meanings in Chinese and North American societies.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Xinyin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Normal University.
authors.forename: Junsheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: King's University College at Western University.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: University of Western Ontario.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zarbatany
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D000066498:Emotional Adjustment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012574:Schools; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012938:Social Perception; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology*