The indirect effects of pre-adolescents’ personality on shyness through emotion regulation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the indirect effects of personality (Big Five) on shyness through two emotion regulation strategies – emotion suppression and cognitive reappraisal – in a community sample of 256 Greek pre-adolescents. Results showed that shyness was positively predicted by both regulation strategies, with emotion suppression constituting the link between shyness and low scores on extraversion and openness. Neuroticism also positively predicted shyness but had no effect through emotion regulation. These associations between personality, emotion regulation and shyness are discussed with respect to the extant literature and relevant theoretical implications.