Factors Affecting the Level of Shyness and Self-Esteem in Primary School Students

Abstract

The present study aims to determine the predictors of the levels of shyness and self-esteem observed in 252 8th grade students in several secondary schools in Siverek, Urfa, Turkey. This study is a of a correlational type, which was carried out with the help of Shyness Scale, Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory and a Personal Information Form devised particularly for this study. Shyness levels of the students were determined was determined by means of the t-test, multiple variance analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The study data revealed that the education status of the father of the students participating in this study seems to be significant predictor of the shyness observed in these students. However, the variables including the education level of the mother, the income level of the family and the gender are not significant predictors of shyness and self-esteem. Furthermore, self-esteem explains 1% of the variance in shyness points. Upon examination of B (-.407) and t (-1.616) values in respect of which variables predicts the shyness, it is seen that self-esteem does not significantly predict shyness (F(1, 252) = 2.611 p= .108).