title: Linking Temperamental Shyness and Social Anxiety in Childhood and Adolescence: Moderating Influences of Sex and Age.
abstract: Although childhood shyness has been linked to social anxiety problems, the factors playing a role in this association have gone largely unexplored. Here we examined the potential moderating roles of sex and age on this relation in a sample of 119 (75 girls) children (10-12 years) and adolescents (14-16 years). As predicted, shyness was positively associated with social anxiety symptoms. Sex, but not age, served as a moderating factor in linking shyness and social anxiety. Specifically, shyness was more strongly associated with social anxiety symptoms among girls than boys. These results suggest the importance of considering sex differences when examining the relation between shyness and social anxiety in childhood and adolescence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada. tsuiyl@mcmaster.ca.
authors.forename: Tiffany Y L
authors.initials: TYL
authors.lastname: Tsui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
authors.forename: Ayelet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lahat
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000072861:Phobia, Social / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012792:Shyness; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Behavioral inhibition; Children; Developmental; Sex differences; Shyness; Social anxiety problems