Personality researchers have described dispositional traits to typically show stability over the life course and yet one such trait, shyness, has rarely been examined in later life. Shyness as a global trait has been linked negatively to multiple psychological indices of childhood well-being, including loneliness. Despite the fact that older adults may be already at risk for experiencing heightened loneliness, regret, or decreased fulfillment, research has not assessed these experiences in relation to personality in later life. In recent years, withdrawal research has begun to move past shyness as a global trait to examine the motivations behind socially withdrawn behavior. The current study used regression analyses to examine ways that three facets of withdrawal (shyness, avoidance, and unsociability) may relate to loneliness, regret, and fulfillment in later life. Data from 309 older participants of the Huntsman Senior Games were used to explore associations. Results indicated that shyness, avoidance, and unsociability significantly predicted increased loneliness and regret, and decreased fulfillment to some extent. Further, marital status (married, divorced, widowed) moderated links between withdrawal and psychological indices of later life well-being.

The current literature lacks empirically-supported preventative approaches for kindergarten students who are socially withdrawn and behind in the development of social skills. Furthermore, parents are underutilized in interventions during this critical period of social development. In response to this need, a classroom-based intervention consisting of (a) social skills training, (b) self-evaluation and reinforcement, (c) home notes and parent involvement, and (d) adult mediation was implemented to increase the positive social engagement of three kindergarten students. The effects of this intervention were evaluated on the playground during recess using partial interval recording of target students’ positive or negative engagement with at least one peer. Improvements of social interactions on the playground were demonstrated by each target student during the implementation of the intervention, but only one student maintained these improvements in the follow-up phase. Future studies should investigate whether addressing the limitations of this study would yield stronger results with this under-identified population of students.

abstract: To explore subtypes of social withdrawal in different sociocultural contexts, concurrent social, school, and academic correlates of shyness and unsociability were examined in 93 urban (Mage = 14.05, SD = 0.86 years) and 136 rural (Mage = 14.39, SD = 0.69 years) seventh and eighth graders from Liaoning, China. Adolescents' shyness and unsociability were assessed with self-, peers’, and teachers’ reports. Peer-group relationships (acceptance, rejection, and exclusion) were obtained from peer nominations. Adolescents reported perceived friendship quality (positive friendship quality, conflict and betrayal) and school attitudes (school liking and avoidance). Teachers rated students' academic engagement and performance. Academic achievement (exam grades) also was obtained from school records. According to factor and correlational analyses, shyness and unsociability emerged as distinct, but positively related, constructs, within each informant. Cross-informant agreements on shyness and unsociability were low to moderate, especially between teachers' and self- or peers' reports. Urban-rural differences were expected in the associations of shyness, but not of unsociability, with the correlates, but the hypotheses were not supported with multiple-group (urban vs. rural) path models. In the combined (urban and rural) sample, shyness was associated with negative peer relationships, low friendship quality, and negative school attitudes (for self- but not peer-reported shyness), but was unrelated to academic correlates. Self-reported unsociability related negatively to positive friendship quality and positively to academic achievement, but was unrelated to other adjustment correlates. Peer-reported unsociability, however, was associated with negative peer relationships, less positive friendship quality, low school liking, low academic performance, and low academic achievement. The study was an initial step towards understanding subtypes of social withdrawal and adjustment correlates in various domains among Chinese adolescents living in different social contexts. The lack of urban-rural differences was not consistent with the contextual-development theory. Like their Western peers, shy Chinese adolescents were at risk for relational and school adjustment problems, but they did not have academic difficulties. Unsociable Chinese adolescents also tended to have poor adjustment at school, including relational problems with peers and friends, negative school attitudes, and academic difficulties, but only when they were perceived as unsociable by peers, rather than themselves. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Family and Human Development 2016

A presença de uma criança com Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) em uma família está associada à maior vulnerabilidade emocional dos pais assim como à maior suscetibilidade de seus irmãos bebês ao transtorno e a outros problemas do desenvolvimento. A detecção e a intervenção precoces têm sido apontadas como fundamentais para redução do sofrimento e melhoria do prognóstico de desenvolvimento de bebês. O retraimento social, fenômeno essencialmente diático e relacionado a perturbações duradouras da interação, constitui importante sinal de sofrimento psíquico nos primeiros meses de vida. Manifesta-se através da redução ou ausência de comportamentos positivos (como contato visual, sorrisos e balbucios) e/ou pelo aumento da frequência de comportamentos negativos (como choros, gritos e gestos de autoestimulação), e pode ter origem em uma combinação de fatores orgânicos e ambientais. Por estar associado a uma série de problemas de comportamento e relacionamento que se estendem da infância à idade adulta, sua identificação nos primeiros dois anos de vida constitui importante sinal de alerta para risco de desenvolvimento psíquico, podendo ser útil na avaliação deste grupo específico de bebês. O objetivo do presente estudo consiste em descrever e avaliar a ocorrência de retraimento de bebês, irmãos de crianças com diagnóstico de TEA, em comparação com outros bebês, irmãos de crianças sem diagnóstico de TEA, além de estimar a associação entre o retraimento do bebê e outras variáveis como: sexo do bebê; escolaridade materna; suporte social percebido pela mãe; grau de autismo do irmão; e presença de sinais de risco para autismo do bebê. A amostra do estudo foi composta por 133 famílias, sendo 68 pertencentes ao grupo caso (com um bebê e, ao menos, um(a) filho(a) mais velho com TEA) e 65 pertencentes ao grupo contraste (sem nenhum(a) filho(a) com TEA, a lém de um bebê). A avaliação do retraimento foi realizada através da codificação da Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) aplicada a filmagens da interação mãe-bebê. Embora a frequência de retraimento tenha sido duas vezes maior entre os bebês do grupo caso (19,11%, n=13) em relação aos bebês do grupo contraste (9,23%, n=6), a diferença encontrada não foi estatisticamente significativa (p=0,103). Dentre os itens avaliados pela escala, bebês, irmãos de crianças com TEA, apresentaram redução significativa da expressão facial em comparação aos irmãos de crianças sem TEA (p=0,012), independentemente do desfecho de retraimento. O grau de autismo do irmão e o suporte social percebido pela mãe não apresentaram associação com o retraimento (p=0,250 e p=0,554), assim como o sexo ou a idade do bebê. Em contrapartida, o retraimento parece estar associado ao risco para autismo do bebê (p=0,003) e ao grau de escolaridade materna (p=0,042). Ainda que não apresentem risco estatístico comprovado para o retraimento, o conjunto de resultados indica que bebês, irmãos de crianças com TEA, podem apresentar maior vulnerabilidade para tal. Os resultados demonstram, portanto, que irmãos de crianças com autismo têm chance aumentada de apresentarem problemas do desenvolvimento, o que aponta para a consequente necessidade de elaboração de estratégias de intervenção junto a essas famílias / The presence of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a family is associated with greater parental emotional vulnerability as well as with higher susceptibility of the infants siblings to this disorder and other developmental problems. Early detection and intervention have been identified as central on reducing suffering and improving the developmental prognosis of the infants. The social withdrawal, phenomenon essentially dyadic and related to lasting disturbance of interaction, is an important sign of psychological distress in early life. Expressed over reduction or absence of positive behaviors (such as eye contact, smiles and babbling) and/or by increasing frequency of negative behaviors (such as cries, screams and self-stimulation actions), can come from a combination of organic and environmental factors. Due to association with several behavioral and relationships problems extending from childhood to adulthood, identifying social withdrawal in the first two years is an important warning sign for risk of psychical development, also useful for assessing this specific group of infants. The aim of present study is to describe and assess the occurrence of social withdrawal in infant siblings of children diagnosed with ASD compared to infant sibling of children without a diagnosis of ASD, and estimate the association between infants withdrawal and other variables such as: sex of the infant; maternal education; social support perceived by the mother; degree of autism on the child diagnosed; and the presence of risk factors for infants autism. The study sample was composed by 133 families, 68 in the case group (with a infant and at least one older child with ASD) and 65 in the contrast group (without a child with ASD, besides the infant). Withdrawal assessment was coded by the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) of mother-infant interaction video recordings. Although the frequency of withdrawal has been twice as high among the group of infant case (19.11%, n = 13) compared to the contrast group (9.23%, n = 6), the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.103). Among the items of the scale, sibling infant of children with ASD showed significantly decrease on facial expression compared to siblings of children without ASD (p = 0.012), regardless the withdrawal outcome. Childs autism degree and social support perceived by the mother were not associated with withdrawal (p = 0.250; p = 0.554), as well as sex or infants age. In contrast, withdrawal appears to be associated with the risk for infants autism (p = 0.003) and with the degree of maternal education (p = 0.042). Although the results did not show statistical risk examined on withdrawal, it still indicates that infants siblings of children with ASD may be more vulnerable to such outcome. Therefore, the results demonstrate that infant siblings of children with ASD are more likely to have developmental problems, which points to the consequence need to develop of intervention strategies for these families

De nombreuses recherches montrent aujourd’hui que des signes de psychopathologies peuvent être présents très tôt dans le développement de l’enfant. L’étude approfondie du développement précoce s’avère ainsi essentielle, dans un souci de prévention et de prise en charge précoce. La présente étude a pour objectif, d’une part, d’identifier des éléments du développement précoce de l’enfant pouvant nous alerter quant à un risque éventuel de développer un trouble du développement et, d’autre part, d’identifier des éléments spécifiques au développement précoce des enfants ultérieurement diagnostiqués avec Trouble Envahissant du Développement (TED) ou trouble du développement (autre que TED). Dans ce but, nous avons, dans un premier temps, évalué le développement socio-émotionnel et cognitif de vingt enfants entre 12 et 24 mois, en lien avec les signes d’autisme et de retrait relationnel. Pour ce faire, trois outils spécifiques ont été utilisés : la BECS (« Batterie d’Évaluation du développement Cognitif et Socio-émotionnel », Adrien, 2007), l’ADBB (« Alarme Détresse Bébé », Guédeney et Fermanian, 2001), et l’ECA-N (Échelle d’ « Évaluation des Comportements Autistiques- Nourrisson », Sauvage, 1988 ; Adrien, et al., 1989, 1992). Il apparaît quatre sous-groupes d’enfants, qui se distinguent par trois caractéristiques, identifiées comme étant les plus discriminantes : l’âge de développement, l’hétérogénéité du développement socio-émotionnel, et les signes d’autisme. Dans un second temps, 10 à 32 mois après, une évaluation diagnostique a été réalisée pour la moitié de notre population. Cette évaluation nous permet d’établir des trajectoires développementales spécifiques pour chacun de nos quatre sous-groupes. Il apparait que la présence et le nombre de critères développementaux (parmi les trois identifiés), ainsi que le type de critère(s) nous informeraient quant à la probabilité ou non de développer un trouble, ainsi que le type de trouble vers lequel pourrait se diriger le développement de l’enfant. Enfin, certains éléments du développement et du comportement précoce des enfants ultérieurement diagnostiqués avec Trouble Envahissant du Développement ou avec trouble du développement (autre que TED) apparaissent comme caractéristiques. / There is substantial evidence that signs of psychopathology may appear very early in child development. A comprehensive evaluation of the child early development seems to be essential in order to implement prevention and early intervention strategies. This study aims to identify some specific elements of early development that could alert of a potential risk of developmental disorder, as well as particular elements of the development of infants subsequently diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or with developmental disorder (other than PDD). In a first moment, we evaluated the cognitive and socio-emotional development, in particular signs of social withdrawal and of autism, of 20 infants between 12 and 24 months of age. Three specific tools were used: the SCEB (“Social Cognitive Evaluation Battery”, Adrien, 2007), the ADBB (« Alarm Distress Baby Scale », Guédeney et Fermanian, 2001), and the IBSE (« Infant Behavioral Summarized Evaluation » Sauvage, 1988; Adrien, et al., 1989, 1992). Four sub-groups of children were identified, distinguished by three characteristics appearing to be the most distinctive: developmental level, heterogeneity of socio-emotional development, and signs of autism. In a second stage, from 10 to 32 months later, a diagnostic evaluation was performed for half of our population. This evaluation enabled to establish specific developmental trajectories, for each of our four sub-groups. Results show that the presence and the number of developmental criteria (among the three identified), along with the type of criteria, in early development, might inform of the probability of developing (or not) a disorder, as well as the kind of disorder that could possibly be further developed. Furthermore, some of the data about the development and the behavior of infants subsequently diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or with developmental disorder seem to be characteristics.

No description available.

The first purpose of this study was to investigate the direct effects of three subtypes of social withdrawal (shyness, social avoidance, and unsociability, respectively) on internalizing outcomes (depression, emotional dysregulation, and self-worth, respectively) in emerging adulthood and to examine these effects by gender. A second purpose was to examine if parenting moderates (i.e., exacerbates or buffers) the main effects of social withdrawal on internalizing outcomes. Participants included 790 undergraduate students from four universities in the United States (Mage = 19.61, SD = 1.85, range = 18–29; 243 males, 547 females) and their mothers. Regression analyses established that shyness was associated with higher levels of depression and emotional dysregulation as well as lower self-worth for males and females. Social avoidance was linked with higher levels of depression and emotional dysregulation for females only. Finally, unsociability was associated with lower levels of depression and dysregulation for both genders. Analyses also established that parenting did not moderate depression, emotional dysregulation, or self-worth with regard to shyness or social avoidance. However, helicopter parenting moderated the links between unsociability and depression. Authoritative parenting moderated the links between unsociability and dysregulation and self-worth. Discussion focuses on the outcomes for emerging adults and the moderating roles of gender and parenting.

Notre thèse de doctorat décrit et analyse le retrait social au Japon (hikikomori et futōkō). Hikikomori désigne à la fois un phénomène de retrait social concernant plusieurs centaines de milliers de personnes, et la personne elle-même, qui reste enfermée dans sa chambre, généralement au domicile familial, pour une durée de plusieurs mois voire plusieurs années, sans relations sociales. Le retrait social des élèves est plutôt désigné par le terme futōkō (absentéisme scolaire).D’abord, nous envisageons le hikikomori comme problème de société, nous synthétisons les travaux en anthropologie, psychiatrie et psychologie, et nous décrivons notre enquête dans les associations à but non lucratif (NPO), ainsi que les témoignages recueillis. Nous inscrivons nos perspectives à la charnière de la psychopathologie clinique et de l’anthropologie. Ensuite, et dans la mesure où la plupart des hikikomori ont vécu une période d’absentéisme scolaire, nous menons une enquête sur l’assistance au futōkō, via des entretiens menés avec des cliniciens du département de Kyōto. Enfin, nous confrontons le retrait social aux discours sur l’identité japonaise, à travers une étude originale des textes de Doi Takeo, Kawai Hayao, et Jacques Lacan.Nos résultats soulignent que les hikikomori reçoivent surtout l’assistance des NPO au sein desquelles les psychiatres et les psychologues sont absents. En revanche, les psychologues cliniciens sont présents auprès des collégiens en difficulté, mais l’assistance des lycéens en difficulté demeure faible. L’ensemble de notre enquête démontre qu’au début du XXIème siècle, nous assistons à la naissance de la clinique infanto-juvénile nippone. / The purpose of this PhD Dissertation is to provide a review of social withdrawal in Japan (hikikomori and futōkō). Hikikomori is the phenomenon of social withdrawal that effects hundreds of thousands individuals, in which the individual shuts his/herself in their room generally at their family’s home for several months and even years without social relationships. During the period of compulsory education, students’ social withdrawal is rather coined by the term futōkō (school non-attendance).First, I consider hikikomori as a social issue and sum up previous research in Anthropology, Psychiatry and Psychology. Then, I describe my investigation in NPOs, hikikomori individuals’ accounts I collected, and draw my perspective on the intersection of Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Anthropology. Second, I investigate the support available to futōkō since many hikikomori experienced school non-attendance, using research interviews with clinical practitioners in Kyōto prefecture. Finally, I examine social withdrawal phenomenon in relation to Japanese identity discourse, towards a new approach of Doi Takeo’s, Kawai Hayao’s, and Jacques Lacan’s writings.My results reveal that hikikomori mostly receive support from caregivers working in NPOs, among which psychiatrists and psychologists are absent. However, while clinical psychologists actually support junior high school students who are classified as futōkō, the support available to high school dropouts remains low. As a whole, this dissertation shows that at the beginning of the 21st century, we are just witnessing the birth of psychological clinics in Japan, especially in the field of child and adolescent mental care.

This is a study that aims to investigate what is being spoken about on an internet forum created for people who suffer from extreme loneliness. The study aims to answer questions regarding the users identity and general opinions regarding live a life of more intense solitude. The basic scientific approach of the study is centered around two terms, taken from Howard S. Beckers book "outsiders" (1997). These two terms are "outsiders" and "deviant careers", both dealing with the subject of deviant behavior. The method used to collect data is a relatively new method known as "netnography". This new method centers around studying subcultures on the internet. The main method of analyzing the collected data was the method known as qualitative content analysis, which is a method that centers on condensing and coding various parts of a text, so called "meaning units", and then categorizing these units into categories and themes for analysis. The main findings where that the users saw themselves as deviants, and had no problem in doing so. However, it was also found that varying opinions regarding what is "better" between following the norms of society, and to lead a life of this particular form of deviancy was a topic the users seemed to be divided on. Loneliness was a central part of their identity and a lot of the users did seem to favor living lives of isolation, although a lot of users also seemed to want more social interaction with society. A consensus regarding what was "the good life" was as such relatively hard to find, but there nevertheless seemed to be a strong sense of solidarity between the users against what was deemed to be "the normal people".

This study examined the impact of perceived economic hardship on family processes and children's socially withdrawn (reticent) behaviors in Romania. The sample consisted of 121 Romanian mothers and fathers of 4-5 year old children, as well as children's kindergarten teachers. Drawing on Conger and colleagues' family stress model of economic hardship, the associations among mothers' and fathers' ratings of economic hardship, depression, marital conflict, psychologically controlling parenting, and teacher ratings of child social withdrawal were analyzed. Structural equation modeling using AMOS 7.0 was used to test the model. Findings generally support earlier studies with European American families, as well as research with families outside of the U.S. Results indicate that higher perceptions of economic hardship related to increases in marital conflict. Mothers' and fathers' depression also associated positively with marital conflict. Marital conflict related to psychologically controlling parenting and mediated the effects of parents' depression on psychological control. Psychological control, in turn, associated positively with children's socially withdrawn (reticent) behaviors. Multiple group analysis indicated that the models for boys (N = 61) and girls (N = 60) were significantly different. Further analyses indicated that for boys, psychologically controlling parenting did not predict reticence. For girls, only fathers' psychological control predicted reticence. Significant links were additionally found for girls between economic hardship and fathers' depression, and between fathers' depression and psychologically controlling parenting.