Shyness, Extracurricular Activity Engagement, and Internalizing Problems among Emerging Adults in University

The primary aims of the present study were to (a) describe the links between shyness and engagement in extracurricular activities, and (b) explore the possible mediating roles of psychological engagement and perceived positive impact in the relations between shyness and indices of internalizing problems among emerging adults. Participants were N = 890 undergraduate students (215 males; M-age = 19.33 years, SD = 7.2 years) from Eastern Ontario, Canada. Upon obtaining consent, participants completed self-report measures (administered via an online survey website) of shyness, aspects of activities engagement, and indices of internalizing problems (i.e., anxiety, loneliness, self-esteem). Among the results, shy students were less likely to choose sports/physical activities. Moreover, psychological engagement and perceived positive impact of activities (also independently) serially mediated the relations between shyness and internalizing problems. This research provides valuable information about the importance of activities engagement in the relations between shyness and emerging adults' emotional adjustment.