Cross Lagged Panel Analyses of Child Shyness, Maternal and Paternal Authoritarian Parenting, and Teacher Child Relationships in Mainland China
The goal of this study was to explore longitudinal associations among child shyness, harsh maternal and paternal parenting styles, and close teacher child relationships in the cultural context of contemporary urban China. Participants were N 1,154 third through seventh grade students (566 boys, 588 girls; Mage 10.78 years, SD 1.55) recruited from schools in Shanghai, P. R. China. Data were collected at two time periods over a one year period using multi source assessments. Children provided self reports of shyness, mothers and fathers rated their own harsh parenting, and teachers assessed teacher child relationships. Among the results, shyness predicted increased incremental change in harsh parenting (for both mothers and fathers) and incremental decrease in close teacher child relationships one year later. Results are discussed in terms of the evolving meaning and implications of child shyness in contemporary Chinese culture.