The Moderating Role of Empathy in the Longitudinal Association between Chinese Preschoolers' Executive Function and Social Withdrawal

Existing research suggests that there may be a bidirectional relationship between executive function (EF) and different subtypes of social withdrawal, including shyness, unsociability, and passive withdrawal. Concurrently, emerging evidence indicates that empathy may play both protective and risk-enhancing roles in children's social–emotional development. Following a cohort of 201 Chinese preschoolers over 18 months, EF was assessed using the Children's Executive Function Inventory(CHEXI), social withdrawal was evaluated through the Early Childhood Social Behavior Questionnaire, and empathy via the Chinese version of theEmpathy Questionnaire(EmQue-C). Results revealed a significant negative, bidirectional predictive relationship between EF and social withdrawal subtypes. Crucially, the moderating role of empathy manifested in two distinct ways. These findings provide evidence for the dual nature of empathy and offer important insights for designing personalized interventions for young children. These results offer critical insights for tailored interventions in early childhood.