Prosocial pathways to positive adaptation: The mediating role of teacher-child closeness

The mediating effects of self-concept on the relationship between parenting styles and young children's social problem-solving in Türkiye

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between parenting styles, young children's social problem-solving skills, and the mediating role of self-concept in a sample of 200 Turkish preschoolers aged 48-72 months, with an equal distribution of male and female participants. The present study was designed using a cross-sectional survey model in order to achieve the descriptive and predictive aims of the research. Data were collected through individual sessions with the children. During these sessions, the children were administered the Wally Social Problems Test and the DeMoulin Self-Concept Development Scale, while the mothers completed the Parenting Attitudes Scale and the Demographic Information Form. The mediating role of self-esteem and self-efficacy in the relationship between parenting styles and children's social problem-solving skills was examined using PROCESS MACRO. The results supported the proposed model, demonstrating that the impact of democratic parenting style on social problem-solving skills was partially mediated by self-concept, specifically self-esteem, as a parenting measure. These findings suggest that self-esteem is an essential individual characteristic to consider in relation to preschoolers' social relationships, in addition to the influence of democratic parenting style behaviors.

A Meta-Analytic Review of Personality and Teacher-Student Relationships

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis provides the first comprehensive synthesis of associations between student and teacher personality traits and the quality of teacher-student relationships.

METHOD

Fifty-five studies met the eligibility criteria, contributing a total of 238 effect sizes. We used multivariate meta-analysis with robust variance estimation (RVE) to model the dependency of effect sizes.

RESULTS

Student prosocial behavior (ρ = 0.59) and proactive personality (ρ = 0.48) were the strongest predictors of positive teacher-student relationship quality. All Big Five traits of students, except neuroticism, showed significant positive associations, with all correlations exceeding 0.4 when holding constant with all other moderators. Teacher agreeableness (ρ = 0.31) and conscientiousness (ρ = 0.29) yielded modest associations. Students with less emotional stability or aggressive behaviors were more likely to experience negative teacher-student relationships, such as conflict and dependency.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the critical role of student personality in explaining the quality of teacher-student interactions. Multiple traits appear equally important, as indicated by comparable effect sizes. The literature is relatively limited when it comes to teacher personality. We were unable to examine teacher traits in relation to teacher-student conflict and dependency, but, overall, agreeable and conscientious teacher behaviors appeared to be important for favorable interactions, whereas teacher neuroticism may undermine the quality of such interactions.

Mechanisms and pathways linking kindergarten behavior problems with mid-life employment earnings for males from low-income neighborhoods

Childhood behavior problems are associated with reduced labor market participation and lower earnings in adulthood, but little is known about the pathways and mechanisms that explain these associations. Drawing on a 33-year prospective birth cohort of White males from low-income backgrounds (n = 1040), we conducted a path analysis linking participants' teacher-rated behavior problems at age 6 years-that is, inattention, hyperactivity, aggression-opposition, and low prosociality-to employment earnings at age 35-39 years obtained from tax records. We examined three psychosocial mediators at age 11-12 years (academic, behavioral, social) and two mediators at age 25 years (non-high school graduation, criminal convictions). Our findings support the notion that multiple psychosocial pathways-especially low education attainment-link kindergarten behavior problems to lower employment earnings decades later.

Meta-analytic associations between the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale and students' social competence with peers

According to developmental psychologists, more supportive and less conflictual relationships with teachers play a positive role in children's social behavior with peers both concurrently and in the future. This meta-analysis examined the association between teacher-student relationship quality, as measured by the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS; Pianta, 2001a), and social competence from early childhood through high school. Based on nearly 30,000 students from 87 studies, the weighted average association between teacher-student relationship quality and social competence with peers was r = .31 (z = .32; 95% CI: .28, 37). Neither age nor length of time between assessments were associated with effect size, suggesting that teacher-student relationships continue to be associated with children's social competence beyond the early years. Additionally, the STRS total score was the best predictor of social competence, whereas dependency was more weakly associated with social competence. The findings of this study suggest that teacher-student relationship quality as measured by the STRS is an important correlate of both concurrent and future social competence from early childhood to adolescence.

Revision and validation of the prosocialness scale for adults (PSA) among chinese college students

BACKGROUND

Although prosocial behavior plays an important role in the development of individuals, there are few prosocial measurements for college students. This study examines the applicability of the Prosocialness Scale for Adults to a sample of Chinese college students and provides a measurement tool for prosocial behavior among Chinese college students.

METHODS

Three sub-studies were conducted in this study to revise the Prosocialness Scale for Adults (PSA) and verify its applicability in Chinese college students. In Study 1, the translated Prosocialness Scale for Adults (PSA) was used to test (N = 436). In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis was carried out (N = 576). The Scale of School Adjustment for College Students, the Scale of Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy, the Prosocial Tendencies Measure, and the Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory were used to test the concurrent validity. And the internal consistency reliability of the scale was tested. In Study 3, the test-retest reliability of the scale was tested 4 weeks after the completion of Study 2.

RESULTS

The results show that the scale has a good single-factor structure (χ2/df = 4.180, CFI = 0.936, TLI = 0.922, GFI = 0.937, IFI = 0.937, NFI = 0.919, AGFI = 0.907, RMSEA = 0.074, SRMR = 0.042). The total score was positively correlated with the scores of the Scale of Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy (r = 0.394, p < 0.001), the Scale of School Adjustment for College Students (r = 0.429, p < 0.001), the Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory (r = 0.456, p < 0.001) ,and the Prosocial Tendencies Measure (r = 0.619, p < 0.001). The internal consistency reliability was robust (α = 0.890) and the test-retest reliability was 0.801.

CONCLUSION

These studies show that the Chinese version of the Prosocialness Scale for Adults (PSA) has good reliability and validity and can be used to measure the prosocial behavior of Chinese college students.

Longitudinal Associations between Teacher-Student Relationships and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Basic Need Satisfaction

The quality of teacher-student relationships has been shown to relate to adolescents' prosocial behavior, but the motivational mechanisms underlying this association remained unclear. Based on relationships motivation theory (RMT), we examined whether the associations between teacher-student relationships (closeness and conflict) and prosocial behavior are bidirectional, and the mediating role of basic psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness need satisfaction) in these links. Data were collected from a sample of 438 secondary school students who completed a survey at two-time points over eight months. The cross-lagged autoregressive model revealed that the relation between close teacher-student relationship and prosocial behavior was bidirectional over time. Moreover, relatedness need satisfaction mediated the positive effect of close teacher-student relationship and the negative effect of teacher-student relationship conflict on adolescents' prosocial behavior. This study highlights the importance of close teacher-student relationship and relatedness need satisfaction to foster adolescents' prosocial behavior.

Play and prosociality are associated with fewer externalizing problems in children with developmental language disorder: The role of early language and communication environment

BACKGROUND

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are at higher risk of poorer mental health compared with children without DLD. There are, however, considerable individual differences that need to be interpreted, including the identification of protective factors.

AIMS

Pathways from the early language and communication environment (ELCE, 1-2 years) to internalizing (peer and emotional problems) and externalizing (conduct problems and hyperactivity) problems in middle childhood (11 years) were mapped using structural equation modelling. Specifically, the role of indirect pathways via social skills (friendships, play and prosociality) in childhood (7-9 years) was investigated.

METHODS & PROCEDURES

Secondary analysis of existing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) was undertaken. The study sample consisted of 6531 children (394 with DLD).

OUTCOMES & RESULTS

The pathways from the ELCE to internalizing and externalizing problems were similar for children with and without DLD. For both groups, a positive ELCE was associated with more competent social play and higher levels of prosociality in childhood, which in turn were associated with fewer externalizing problems in middle childhood. Furthermore, better friendships and higher levels of prosociality in childhood were both associated with fewer internalizing problems in middle childhood.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

A child's ELCE is potentially important not only for the development of language but also for social development. Furthermore, in the absence of adequate language ability, play and prosocial behaviours may allow children with DLD to deploy, practise and learn key social skills, thus protecting against externalizing problems. We suggest that consideration be given to play- and prosociality-based educational and therapeutic services for children with DLD. What this paper adds What is already known on this subject On the whole, children with DLD tend to have poorer mental health compared with their unaffected peers. There are, however, considerable differences and poor outcomes are not inevitable. What this study adds to the existing knowledge We demonstrate that children's ECLE is important for the development of social play behaviours and prosociality. Whilst children with DLD tend to have less competent social play and lower levels of prosociality compared with their unaffected peers, those with more competent social play and higher levels of prosociality are likely to have fewer externalizing problems later in childhood. We speculate that in the absence of adequate structural language ability, play and prosocial behaviours allow children with DLD to deploy, practise and learn key relationship skills, alongside behavioural and emotional regulation skills, thus protecting against externalizing problems. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Understanding the relationships among play, prosociality and externalizing problems may pave the way for play- and prosociality-based interventions in children with DLD. This may be particularly appealing for practitioners as such interventions capitalize on one of the most intuitive means of learning in childhood: play with friends. The likelihood of acceptability and engagement with such interventions may be higher in children than for traditional adult-led, paper-and-pencil activities.