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Children who show signs of social withdrawal are more susceptible to parental influences than others, according to a new study. These children are also more disposed to distress caused by the impacts of guilt-inducing parenting. 

For the study, researchers considered around 300 children and followed them across the first three years of primary school monitoring the children's social skills and problem behaviors. Researchers also assessed mothers' and fathers' parenting styles. 

The study found that the children showing signs of social withdrawal in kindergarten were more prone to parental impacts later on in school compared to others. 

The study also found that guilt-inducing parenting deployed by mothers decreased the conduct problems of socially withdrawn children. The findings further suggested that children showing signs of social withdrawal may have a heightened risk of pleasing their parents at the cost of their own well-being. 

In guilt-inducing parenting, a parent tries to impact on the child's behavior using psychological means rather than direct limit setting. For example, the parent may remind the child how much effort he/she makes for the child or show how ashamed he/she is because of the child's behavior. In previous research, this kind of parenting has been related to increased anxiety and depressive symptoms among children and adolescents, the press release added. 

The study will be published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.