While elevated shyness is associated with weaker pragmatic language abilities for some children, not all shy children demonstrate pragmatic challenges. Understanding the factors that may account for this variability is important as proficient pragmatic abilities have been found to protect shy children from subsequent socio‐emotional maladjustment (Coplan & Weeks, 2009). Individual differences in cognitive processes may account for why some shy children evidence difficulty in pragmatic abilities whereas others do not. In the current study, associations between shyness, executive functioning (performance‐based and parent‐reported), and pragmatic abilities (knowledge and demonstrated abilities) were examined in a community sample of 8 to 12‐year‐old children (N = 81). Consistent with past work, shyness was associated with weaker pragmatic knowledge. However, parent‐reported executive functioning moderated associations between shyness and both pragmatic knowledge and demonstrated pragmatic abilities in everyday activities. Only those shy children with weaker parent‐reported executive functioning showed difficulties in their pragmatic abilities. That is, strength in applying executive functioning in everyday settings (or less executive dysfunction) seems to buffer shy children from pragmatic challenges. We discuss our results in terms of the way children acquire pragmatic competence and the temperamental and cognitive factors that may affect such development.

中文翻译：

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执行功能可减轻害羞与实用能力之间的联系

虽然有些孩子的害羞程度与实用语言能力较弱有关，但并非所有害羞的孩子都表现出务实的挑战。了解可能导致这种变异的因素很重要，因为已发现熟练的语用能力可以保护害羞的孩子免受随后的社会情感失调的影响（Coplan＆Weeks，2009）。认知过程中的个体差异可能解释了为什么有些害羞的孩子表现出在语用能力上的困难，而另一些却没有。在本研究中，在社区样本中对8到12岁的孩子进行了调查，考察了羞怯，执行功能（基于绩效和父母报告的）与务实能力（知识和证明的能力）之间的关联（N = 81）。与过去的工作一致，害羞与较弱的实用知识有关。然而，家长报告说，执行官在害羞与务实知识之间表现出适度的联系，并在日常活动中表现出务实的能力。只有那些父母报告的执行功能较弱的害羞孩子才显示出他们的实用能力上的困难。就是说，在日常环境中运用执行功能的力量（或更少的执行功能障碍）似乎可以减轻害羞的孩子免受务实挑战的影响。我们根据儿童获得务实能力的方式以及可能影响这种发展的气质和认知因素来讨论我们的结果。