This study investigated characteristics of preadolescent children chosen by classmates on the basis of withdrawn behavior at school. Attributions for causes of social outcomes, loneliness, and self reported levels of social anxiety for this group were contrasted to those of groups of peer identified aggressive, highly sociable, average and controversial children.
Previous research on characteristics of withdrawn children has been limited by the practice of equating the behavior pattern of withdrawal with receiving few or no nominations on sociometric measures (Rubin & Asendorpf, 1993). Studies have targeted the attributions and feelings of aggressive/rejected children, and detrimental long term outcomes have been consistently associated with peer rejection. Less is known about risks associated with withdrawal in preadolescence. Characteristic attribution patterns have been linked to depression across the life span, but little research which relates explanatory style to social anxiety is available. The study related explanatory styles for positive and negative social outcomes and self-reported affective responses to social experiences in preadolescence.
The sample of 148 students in grade five completed The Revised Class Play, a measure of social behavior characteristics used to form groups. Causal explanations for social situations were gathered for locus, stability and control dimensions in response to hypothetical scenarios. A questionnaire measure of loneliness, and a social anxiety scale provided information related to affect.
Results suggest that withdrawn children, like aggressive children and highly anxious children, demonstrate less self-serving attributional bias than children chosen for highly sociable behavior patterns. Withdrawn children reported significantly more loneliness and social dissatisfaction at school than sociable, average or aggressive peers. Compared to sociable and average peers, significantly higher levels of social anxiety and distress were also reported by the withdrawn group. Half of the subsample reporting high levels of both loneliness and anxiety were identified as withdrawn.
Gender effects were also present. Females attributed success to external sources more frequently, reported less control, and reported higher levels of social anxiety and distress than males across the sample.
