What really helps shy or socially anxious children and teenagers?
Shy children experience various difficulties at school.
They often have fewer friends, may show reduced classroom participation, and face an increased risk of academic or language difficulties. Shyness and isolation can persist into adolescence, resulting in higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms.
How can we help these children in therapy, using evidence-based supports?
1. Educate children and families
Give children and their parents clear and accurate information about:
- the nature of ‘shyness’, social phobia, anxiety and fear; and
- how to recognise physical body clues related to anxiety and manage these symptoms.
2. Increase exposure
Partner with children to develop ‘exposure hierarchies’ to help them gradually face their specific social fears, step by step.
For example, support a child to answer ‘yes/no’ questions, before asking them more open-ended questions. Encourage progress with specific prompts and gentle praise.
3. Provide social skills training
Teach children conversational skills (e.g., listening, initiating, making requests, how to introduce themselves), and ways to share their feelings. Teach children ways to problem solve in social situations.
4. Challenge internal fears
Known as cognitive restructuring, teach children to notice their worried thoughts, and to challenge these internal fears. Teach children to replace them with positive self talk and realistic coping attitudes.
5. Involve peers
When possible, include classroom peers in unstructured play-based activities to increase social generalisation and to support peer interactions. This provides great opportunities to practice conversation skills.
Got questions?
Speak to our Senior Speech Pathologist, Vivien Wong.
Reference:
Cordier, R., Speyer, R., Mahoney, N., Arnesen, A., Mjelve, L. H., & Nyborg, G. (2021). Effects of interventions for social anxiety and shyness in school-aged children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 16(7), e0254117. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254117 (Open Access)
Related articles:
- Selective Mutism: key things to know
- When silence is not golden: evidence-based treatment for children with selective mutism
- Eight strategies to support children with selective mutism
