The present study provides some preliminary evidence for the protective role of
pragmatic language in the socio-emotional adjustment of shy children.
Notwithstanding, some limitations must be acknowledged.
As mentioned previously, the correlational nature of this study makes it difficult
to infer causal relations among variables. Shyness and adjustment outcomes
were assessed roughly 8 months apart. Multi-year longitudinal studies are
clearly required to assess the developmental trajectories of shy children over
longer time periods (i.e. Gazelle & Ladd, 2003). Moreover, the importance of
pragmatic language for shy children may only be evident during a small developmental
window (i.e. early childhood), or this effect might increase in later
childhood and adolescence. In addition, a wider range of adjustment outcomes
across different domains need to be assessed.