The Perceived Impact of Teacher Expectations on Social Withdrawal Behavior in Young Children: The Mediating Role of Resilience

Growing attention has been paid to young children’s mental health and social development. Social withdrawal in early childhood can hinder children’s emotional well-being, learning, and peer relationships. While teacher expectations are known to influence academic outcomes through the Pygmalion effect, their role in shaping social behavior is less explored. This study investigated whether preschool children’s perceived teacher expectations predict social withdrawal and whether resilience mediates this relationship. A sample of 258 children (ages 5–6) from three kindergartens in Hangzhou, China, was assessed using multi-informant reports. Higher perceived teacher expectations were linked to lower social withdrawal (p < .001) and greater resilience (p < .01). Mediation analysis showed that resilience partially explained this link, accounting for roughly one-third of the total effect. These findings highlight the importance of fostering positive teacher expectations and building resilience to reduce social withdrawal in early childhood.