Sociopathy is more common in shy children
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
A common form of mental disorder is more common in shy and strongly attached to the parents of children.
From social phobia (social anxiety disorder) affects about 5% of teens from 13 to 18 years, both boys and girls. Sociopathy is one of the most common mental disorders that occurs among children and adolescents.
Western specialists from the National Institute of Mental Health and the universities of Waterloo and Maryland conducted a long-term study, in which more than 160 Europeans and Americans took part. All participants in the study were of middle and higher grade. At the time of the study, all participants were four months old.
Initially, specialists in the laboratory monitored children aged 1 year and 2 months and their parents. At first, scientists followed the reaction of children who were separated from their parents. In the course of observations, scientists noted which of the children was not strong, but who had a rather large, dangerous attachment to their parents.
With a safe connection with parents, the children normally returned to contact with their parents upon their return. In the event that such participants started to be capricious, then after the parents came back they quickly calmed down.
If the connection with the parents was unsafe, then after the parents returned, the children did not notice them and avoided any contact with them, or reached out to them, went to contact, but for a long time they could not calm down after they arrived.
Further, the specialists monitored the behavior of children aged 1 year 2 months, 2 years 4 months and 7 years in different situations. Parents needed to fill out questionnaires that described the behavior of children in a new situation for them and during their acquaintance with peers. As a result, experts determined how tight and shy were the participants in the experiment. After the volunteers reached the age of 14-17, the parents filled the questionnaires with the children, which allowed the specialists to assess the level of anxiety of the children.
Among teenagers suffering from social anxiety disorders, unlike other children, there was an increased nervousness during visiting parties and other places where there are many strangers. In addition, such teenagers experienced difficulties in performing before a large number of people or participating in sports competitions.
In the course of the study, experts noted that adolescents who had a dangerous attachment to their parents in childhood later grew shy and, during adolescence, suffered from manifestations of psychiatric disorders, in particular from social phobia.
Also, scientists found that those participants in the experiment, who reacted with anger in their childhood after the long absence, and could not calm down for a long time, the relationship between shyness and social anxiety was the strongest.
As a result, scientists concluded that a dangerous attachment to parents and shyness in the future significantly increase the risk of social phobia.
[1]