Parent-child attachment and teacher-student relationships in Chinese children from low-income families: A moderated mediation model of shyness and resilience

This study examined the mediating role of shyness (i.e., as a risk factor) and the moderating role of resilience (i.e., as a protective factor) between parental-child attachment and teacher-student relationships in Chinese children living in poverty. A total of 235 children was screened from 898 children as a sample of impoverished children by family economic status. Participants completed parent-child attachment, teacher-student relationships, shyness, and resilience measures. Results suggested that shyness partially mediated parent-child attachment and teacher-student relationships. Parent-child attachment was negatively related to shyness, which negatively related to teacher-student relationships. Moreover, resilience moderated the association between shyness and teacher-student relationships, with more substantial effects in the low-resilience group than the high-resilience group. Accordingly, parental attachment may play an important role in influencing teacher-student relationships for impoverished children. Increasing resilience in children in poverty may help buffer the adverse effects of shyness on teacher-student relationships.

Automated summary

This study examined the mediating role of shyness and the moderating role of resilience between parental-child attachment and teacher-student relationships in Chinese children living in poverty. The results indicated that shyness partially mediated the relationship between parental-child attachment and teacher-student relationships, and resilience moderated the association between shyness and teacher-student relationships.