The literature presents research regarding the stability of childhood traits over time. Stemberger, Turner, Beidel, and Calhoun (1995) showed that adults suffering from social phobia tended to have a history of childhood anxiety and shyness. For this study 68 subjects with social phobia were compared to 25 normal controls. The authors concluded that childhood traits such as these were predictors of adult social problems.
Weinberger (1997) reported results from a sample (n = 1,486) of youth, young adults, and adults regarding their social-emotional adjustment and correlates to childhood distress and self-restraint. Included in the childhood measure was levels of self-esteem. Findings showed coefficient alpha ranging from .85 to .95, showing that levels of self-esteem and other variables were consistent across age. Thus those who suffered from distress childhood also suffered from the same distress in adulthood.
Bruno (1998) stated that shyness leads to shyness. A troubled person tends to be distressed in the presence of others and avoidance of others relieves anxiety. Thus the shy behavior is reinforced and becomes a habit. The author also stated that interpersonal factors are found to have a role in chronic shyness. For example those who are found to efface themselves, lack assertiveness skills. These people do not know how to stand up for their rights or themselves in interpersonal contexts and therefore tend to find themselves avoiding others.
The Differential Emotions Theory (DET) can be used to further explain the literature findings and the proposed study. The DET states that emotions and temperament or personality are related and that these are motivating processes. Thus the differences found in emotionality and temperament are reflected in patterns of emotion-cognition-action bonds which are the building blocks of the personality traits. Emotion experiences and their expressions demonstrate continuity a...