Abstract Shyness, which is characterized by social withdrawal behaviours and approaching‐withdrawal conflicted social motivations, is suggested to influence children's social–emotional development. This study examined the association between shyness and social–emotional development among Chinese children aged 3 to 12. A systematic search of both Chinese and international databases for relevant research between 1990 and 2020 yielded 23 studies ( n = 9,009 children), which were systematically reviewed. Among them, 15 studies ( n = 6,303 children) were included in the meta‐analyses. Results from random‐effects models indicated that shyness was positively associated with internalizing problems ( ), externalizing problems ( ), peer victimization ( ), and asocial behaviours ( ), and negatively associated with peer preference ( and school social competence (for school‐aged children ; for preschool children ) in the Chinese context. Further, analyses revealed that the relationship between shyness and social–emotional development was moderated by children's characteristics (e.g., gender, age, receptive vocabulary, and emotional competence), social relationship (e.g., teacher‐child relationship and parent–child attachment), and situational context (e.g., interpersonal similarity). This study suggests that shyness generally exerts negative influences on Chinese children's social–emotional development, but the influences are unique to particular social–emotional domains and moderated by both children's characteristics and environmental factors.

Xinyi Zhang

Carrie Lau

Yi Yang

Infant and Child Development

Infant and Child Development publishes high quality empirical, theoretical and methodological papers addressing psychological development from the antenatal period through to adolescence. The journal brings together research on:    - social and emotional development  - perceptual and motor development  - cognitive development  - language development    atypical development (including conduct problems, anxiety and depressive conditions, language impairments, autistic spectrum disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders)

The journal "Infant and Child Development" publishes high-quality empirical, theoretical, and methodological papers that address psychological development from the antenatal period through adolescence. It brings together research on: - social and emotional development - perceptual and motor development - cognitive development - language development - atypical development (including conduct problems, anxiety and depressive conditions, language impairments, autistic spectrum disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders).

《Infant and Child Development》期刊发表高质量的实证、理论和方法论论文，关注从产前到青春期的心理发展。期刊汇集了以下研究领域：- 社会和情感发展 - 感知和运动发展 - 认知发展 - 语言发展 - 非典型发展（包括行为问题、焦虑和抑郁状况、语言障碍、自闭症谱系障碍以及注意缺陷/多动障碍）

Category	Quartile
心理学	4
心理学, 心理学发育	4

Shyness and social–emotional development among Chinese children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL	2