Longitudinal Dynamics of Child Shyness, Maternal Maladaptive Parenting Practices and Anxious Behaviour in Early Childhood: A Cross-Lagged Analysis

Childhood shyness, a temperamental trait characterised by social wariness, has been linked to increased anxiety risk, particularly when influenced by maladaptive parenting practices, yet its bidirectional and longitudinal effects remain understudied in Chinese preschoolers. This study examined the longitudinal relationships among child shyness, maternal maladaptive parenting practices and anxious behaviour among Chinese preschoolers. Participants are 408 children's (Mage = 4.1 years, SD = 0.80; 52.1% boys) mothers, and teachers from public kindergartens in Shanghai, China, assessed across three waves (T1–T3; October 2020, June 2021, June 2022). At each wave, mothers reported child shyness and maternal maladaptive parenting, and teachers rated child anxious behaviour. The results indicated T1 shyness predicted higher T2 maladaptive parenting and greater T2 anxiety. Critically, the indirect effect from T1 shyness to T3 anxiety via T2 maladaptive parenting was significant, indicating that early shyness contributed to later anxiety through increases in maladaptive parenting. Bidirectionality also emerged: T2 anxiety predicted higher T3 shyness. These findings highlight the complex interplay of individual and environmental factors in the development of anxious behaviour and underscore the importance of addressing both child temperament and parenting practices in early interventions.