The protective role of prosocial behaviors on antisocial behaviors: The mediating effects of deviant peer affiliation

Abstract

Prosocial behaviors, actions intended to help others, may serve a protective function against association with deviant peers and subsequent delinquent and antisocial behaviors. The present study examined the relations among specific types of prosocial behaviors, deviant peer affiliation, and delinquent and aggressive behaviors. Six hundred and sixty-six adolescents (46% girls; M age = 15.33, SD = .47) from Valencia, Spain completed questionnaires of prosocial behaviors, affiliation with deviant peers, antisocial behaviors, and aggression. Results showed that antisocial behaviors were negatively related only to specific forms of prosocial behaviors. Further analyses showed that deviant peer affiliation mediated the relations between compliant prosocial behavior and delinquency and aggression. Although altruism was not directly related to delinquency and aggression, it was indirectly linked to the behaviors via deviant peer affiliation. Discussion focuses on the relevance of specific forms of prosocial behaviors to antisocial behaviors and the risk of deviant peers for prosocial youth.

Different patterns of behavioural and emotional difficulties through adolescence: The influence of prosocial skills

“…Different studies have indicated the key role that prosocial skills anales de psicología, 2017, vol. 33, nº 1 (january) play in the adjustment and well-being in children and specifically adolescents (Caprara et al, 2015;Carlo et al, 2014;Luengo Kanacri et al, 2014). The study of participant association allows for a better knowledge of behavioural and emotional patterns in adolescents as well as the detection of adolescents at risk.…”

“…Thus, the establishment of close relations with peers and the development of prosocial behaviours are important markers that predict future adjustment, including manifestations like antisocial behavior or aggression (Carlo et al, 2014). In this regard, personal variables such as empathy, sympathy or perspective taking have been found to play a key role in the acquisition and development of prosocial behaviours (Mestre et al, 2015).…”

Empatía en la adolescencia. Relaciones con razonamiento moral prosocial, conducta prosocial y agresividad

“…La empatía y la conducta prosocial en la infancia y adolescencia pueden ser factores de protección de la persona, dado que pueden inhibir conductas antisociales y promover comportamientos de adaptación personal y social (Carlo et al, 2014;Mikolajewski, Chavarria, Moltisanti, Hart y Taylor, 2014).…”

“…En este sentido, se han encontrado importantes relaciones significativas entre ambas, empatía y conducta prosocial en la infancia y la adolescencia, tanto en contextos americanos (Carlo, Hausman, Christiansen y Randall, 2003;Carlo y Randall, 2002;Eisenberg et al, 2005), como españoles (Gutiérrez, Escartí y Pascual, 2011;Mestre, Tur, Samper, Nácher y Cortés, 2007). Del mismo modo, la falta de empatía ha llegado a relacionarse con la psicopatología y la clínica relacionada con el espectro autista (Cornelio-Nieto, 2009;Oberman, Ramachandran y Pineda, 2008), con la agresividad (Carlo et al, 2014) y con la delincuencia (Hare, 2006).…”

Perceived Family Cohesion Moderates Environmental Influences on Prosocial Behavior in Nigerian Adolescent Twins

“…PB emerges early in childhood (Brownell, 2013) and demonstrates stability from childhood into adolescence (Eisenberg et al, 1999). It has been reported that adolescent PB serves as a protective function against association with deviant peers (Carlo et al, 2014), and is related to positive peer interactions (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1998). Therefore, investigations of the etiology of PB can provide critical insights into the development of this important human trait.…”