Prosocial development in adolescence

Deconstructing Temporal Stages of Prosocial and Antisocial Risky Decision-making in Adolescence

Risk-taking is a prominent aspect of adolescent behavior. A recent neurodevelopmental model suggests that this trait could influence prosocial and antisocial decision-making, proposing a new category known as prosocial and antisocial risk-taking. The primary objective of this study was to examine the electrophysiological underpinnings of prosocial and antisocial risk-taking in adolescence, a developmental period characterized by elevated risky, prosocial, and antisocial decisions. To this end, 32 adolescents aged 13-19 years completed a modified dictator game to choose between three options, representing prosocial and antisocial risk-taking constructs and a risk-free fair one. At the behavioral level, adolescents favored antisocial risky decisions over prosocial risky ones. ERP results at the electrophysiological level in the response selection stage demonstrated that decision preceding negativity was more negative-going before making prosocial risky decisions than other decisions. During the feedback evaluation stage, feedback-related negativity was the least negative after selecting the antisocial risky option and receiving successful feedback. However, choosing the fair option and receiving neutral feedback resulted in the most negative feedback-related negativity. Moreover, P300 showed the most positive mean amplitude following the selection of the antisocial risky option and facing successful feedback, with the lowest positive amplitude observed after choosing the fair option and encountering neutral feedback. These results underscore the distinct electrophysiological underpinnings associated with prosocial and antisocial decisions involving risks.

Family environment and prosocial behavior tendency of college students: The chain mediating role of empathy and moral sensitivity

OBJECTIVES

In order to explore the influence mechanism of family environment on the prosocial behavior tendency of college students and the chain mediating role of empathy and moral sensitivity in this relationship.

METHODS

A survey was conducted on 451 college students using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion scales, the Dispositional Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, the Prosocial Tendencies Measure and the Chinese Version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index-C.

RESULTS

The results showed that empathy and moral sensitivity significantly mediate the effect of family environment on college students' prosocial behavior tendency. This is manifested in three mediation paths: the mediating role of empathy (with 28.57% of the mediating effect), the mediating role of moral sensitivity (with 61.90% of the mediating effect), and the chain mediating role of empathy and moral sensitivity (with 9.53% of the mediating effect).

CONCLUSIONS

The study reveals the mechanism by which family environment affects college students' prosocial behavior, which provides some theoretical guidance and practical inspiration for cultivating college students' prosocial behavior.

Testosterone and cortisol jointly mediate and modulate trust behavior in early adolescence

During early adolescence, individuals undergo significant changes in neuroendocrine systems, neurodevelopment, and social sensitivity. Placing trust in the appropriate person becomes especially crucial for adolescents, given their increased peer interaction and heightened susceptibility to peer influence during this period. Adolescents take social distance into account when making trust decisions. However, the biological and cognitive mechanisms involved in trust decision-making towards peers of different social distances remain unclear. The present study investigated the interactions among hormonal (basal cortisol and basal testosterone), cognitive (impulsivity and theory of mind), and contextual (friends and strange peers) factors underlying trust decision-making in a sample of 142 adolescents (45 % females, Mage = 12.32 years, SDage = 0.60). Using a balloon analog risk task, a cartoon story reasoning task, and a modified version of the trust game, we assessed adolescents' impulsivity, theory of mind, as well as trust investment and evaluation of return possibility towards their friends and strangers, separately. The results showed a unique hormonal-cognitive-contextual mechanism underlying trust investment, despite adolescents demonstrating a preference for trusting friends over strangers in both trust investment and trust evaluation. Cortisol predominantly influenced adolescents' general trust, directly and indirectly through impulsivity. Testosterone appeared to modulate the indirect effect of cortisol via impulsivity on general trust and impacted their strategic trust decisions through the theory of mind. These findings highlight the role of cortisol and testosterone in trust and its potential cognitive process and provide guidance for tailored interventions for promoting healthy social development.

Social Contexts Requiring Adjudication Self- and Peer-Interest Differentially Alter Risk Preferences Across Adolescence

Adolescence is a period of escalated rates of risk taking and a dynamic social landscape with peers taking on an important role in shaping one's decisions. Choosing to engage in risk rarely impacts only the decision maker, but also those around them. With a cohort of typically developing adolescent and young adult friend dyads (N = 128, 11-22 years), the current study investigates how peer-relevant social contexts influence risk preferences at different ages using a computational decision making task. We adapted a computational expected utility model to account for weighing the friend's outcome as part of one's utility calculation when deciding between assigning the risky option to oneself or one's friend. Compared to participants' baseline risk preferences absent of any friend involvement, we found age-related changes in risk taking when the preferred option can only be assigned to oneself or one's friend but not to both. Exploratory, data-driven analyses using behavioral measures and the computationally derived risk preference parameter revealed that overall, early adolescence is a period in which individuals assigned more weight to their friends' outcomes and were willing to forego personal benefits to a greater extent. Active observation by friends had no additional, age-dependent impact on participants' risky choices. These results indicate early adolescence to be a period of sensitivity to social contexts evoking prosocial gestures that are costly to oneself.

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support

Adolescence is a critical period for developing interpersonal relationships and plays a significant role in the growth of subjective well-being. Establishing positive friendships is one of the most important predictors of subjective well-being. This study employs a longitudinal method, tracking Chinese adolescents to investigate the impact of individuals' number of close friends on subjective well-being by examining the chain mediating roles of interpersonal trust and perceived social support. Data were collected from 987 junior high school students across five schools in Shandong Province and analysed using SPSS 27.0. The results indicate that the number of close friends at Time 1 (T1) significantly positively affects the level of subjective well-being at Time 3 (T3). At Time 2 (T2), perceived social support mediates the relationship between the number of close friends at T1 and subjective well-being at T3. Furthermore, the number of close friends at T1 has a longitudinal mediating effect on subjective well-being at T3. This effect is mediated by interpersonal trust and perceived social support at T2. This study reveals the mechanisms by which the number of close friends influences subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents. The findings highlight the significance of fostering healthy interpersonal relationships among adolescents in China. This can be achieved by promoting initiatives that enhance levels of interpersonal trust and perceived social support within communities, thereby improving overall subjective well-being among adolescents.

The Divergent and Bidirectional Relationships Between Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry and Prosocial Behaviors

Previous studies have identified narcissism as one of the dark triad personalities. However, contradictory findings were found regarding the relationship between grandiose narcissism and prosocial behaviors. The present research further explored their relationships and reconciled the contradictions by distinguishing between narcissistic admiration and rivalry facets, as well as investigating the bidirectional relationships between narcissism and prosocial behaviors, and the mediating effect of basic psychological needs satisfaction/frustration. This study utilized three-wave panel data of Chinese adolescents (N = 1641, 52.3% female, Wave 1 Mage = 15.26, SD = 0.52). Cross-lagged panel models revealed that admiration predicted a higher level of basic psychological needs satisfaction and prosocial behaviors, while rivalry predicted a higher level of basic psychological needs frustration and a lower level of prosocial behaviors. Prosocial behaviors, in turn, predicted higher levels of needs satisfaction and admiration, and lower levels of needs frustration and rivalry subsequentially. These effects were not observed by random-intercept cross-lagged panel model. The findings contribute to the understanding of the complexity of narcissism and its intra- and interpersonal outcomes among adolescents, providing practical implications for future studies and educational practices.

Intergenerational Board Games Among Older Adults and School-Aged Children, Through the Lens of Shared Pro-Social Behaviors and Positive Affect

Social interactions are essential for both older adults and children, and engaging in intergenerational leisure activities offers social benefits for both generations. Board games stand out as a relevant medium for bringing together participants of different ages. However, their social features within an intergenerational context remain largely unexplored. This observational study sought to explore prosocial behaviors exhibited by older adults and school-aged children during both cooperative and competitive board games. Specifically, 11 dyads, each consisting of an older adult and a child, were filmed while playing a cooperative and a competitive board game. The results revealed that the older adults demonstrated more prosocial behaviors than the children, and the competitive setting fostered more pro-social behaviors than the cooperative one. Furthermore, intergenerational board games elicited positive affects among players, though the older participants reported facing significant difficulties and exerting considerable effort during the game sessions. These findings can inform the development of intergenerational programs aimed at fostering positive social interactions between older adults and children, serving as valuable guidelines for practitioners when selecting board games for such activities.

Exploring the Role of Ethnic Identity, Attachment, and Family Prosocial Opportunities on BIPOC Adolescents' Anxiety and Depression

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) adolescents experience oppressive mental health stressors and barriers to receiving treatment. Ethnic identity development, attachment to parents, and family prosocial opportunities have been associated with improved mental health outcomes in BIPOC adolescents, yet there is a dearth of literature examining the intersections of these variables on anxiety and depressive outcomes for this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between ethnic identity development, attachment to parents, family prosocial opportunities, and anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of BIPOC adolescents (N = 1424) in the Northeastern United States. Attachment to father (B =  - 0.14, p < 0.01), family prosocial opportunities (B =  - 0.51, p < 0.001), and ethnic identity development (B =  - 0.20, p < 0.001) emerged as significant protective factors of anxiety. Similarly, attachment to father (B =  - 0.14, p < 0.01), attachment to mother (B =  - 0.19, p < 0.05), family prosocial opportunities (B =  - 0.55, p < 0.001), and ethnic identity development (B =  - 0.14, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with decreased depressive symptoms. These findings suggest implications related to culturally responsive mental health prevention and intervention efforts for practitioners who serve BIPOC adolescents.

Juvenile chronic social defeat stress reduces prosocial behavior in adult male mice

Exposure to stress in early life can have a significant impact on individuals. However, the effects of early-life stress (ELS) on prosocial behavior remain unclear, as do the underlying mechanisms. In this study, ICR juvenile mice were subjected to juvenile chronic social defeat stress (jCSDS) between postnatal days 32 and 41, during which body weight changes were continuously monitored. The behaviors of adult mice were evaluated using the open field test (OFT), the social interaction test (SIT), and the prosocial choice task (PCT). ELISA was used to quantify serum levels of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. The density of dendritic spines in the basolateral amygdala was evaluated by Golgi staining. Behavioral test results showed that jCSDS induced anxiety-like behavior and decreased prosocial selection tendency in mice. Additionally, exposure to jCSDS increased the serum levels of oxytocin, decreased those of serotonin, and increased the density of dendritic spines in the basolateral amygdala. Correlation analysis indicated that prosocial behavior was negatively correlated with serum oxytocin levels and dendritic spine density in the basolateral amygdala. These results suggested that jCSDS reduced prosocial behavior, possibly due to changes in serum oxytocin contents and adaptive changes in amygdaloid neurons.

Mental health and socio-cognitive predictors of adherence to COVID-19 social distancing rules in adolescents in England

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted governments worldwide to introduce social distancing measures, including school closures and restrictions on in-person socialising. However, adherence to social distancing was challenging for many - particularly adolescents, for whom social interaction is crucial for development. The current study aimed to identify individual-level influences on adherence to social distancing in a longitudinal sample of adolescents aged 11-20 years in England, who took part in a randomised controlled trial. At baseline, 460 participants completed detailed pre-pandemic assessments, including mental health and well-being, altruism, delayed reward discounting, rejection sensitivity, prosociality and susceptibility to prosocial and anti-social influence. Of these, 205 participants reported their compliance with COVID-19 social distancing rules and attendance at social gatherings between June and August 2020. Bayesian ordinal regression models were used to predict adherence to social distancing from predictors, controlling for age at pandemic, gender, day of assessment, and intervention group. The results indicated that higher levels of prosociality, altruism and lower susceptibility to anti-social influence were associated with higher adherence to social distancing. Pre-pandemic levels of depression, anxiety, delayed reward discounting, rejection sensitivity, conduct problems and emotional awareness were not robustly related to the outcomes. These findings have implications for understanding how adolescents comply with public health guidelines, highlighting the role of social influence and peer norms.

Do Adolescents Adopt the Prosocial Behaviors of the Classmates They Like? A Social Network Analysis on Prosocial Contagion

While the influence of high-status peers on maladaptive behaviors is well-documented, socialization processes of prosocial behavior through high-status peers remain understudied. This study examined whether adolescents' prosocial behavior was influenced by the prosocial behavior of the peers they liked and whether this effect was stronger when the peers they liked were also well-liked by their classmates. Three waves of data, six months apart, were collected among Chilean early adolescents who completed peer nominations and ratings at Time 1 (n = 294, Mage = 13.29, SD = 0.62; 55.1% male), Time 2 (n = 282), and Time 3 (n = 275). Longitudinal social network analyses showed that adolescents adopted the prosocial behavior of the classmates they liked - especially if these classmates were well-liked by peers in general. In addition, adolescents low in likeability were more susceptible to this influence than adolescents high in likeability. The influence resulted both in increases and - especially - decreases in prosocial behavior, depending on the level of prosociality of the liked peer. Findings suggest that likeability represents an important aspect of peer status that may be crucial for understanding the significance of peer influence with respect to prosocial behaviors during adolescence. Pre-Registration: https://osf.io/u4pxm .

The developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior in economically disadvantaged children: General tendencies and heterogeneity

INTRODUCTION

This study explored the general tendencies and heterogeneous developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior and predictors.

METHOD

The present study conducted latent growth model and growth mixture model analyses in a sample of 814 students (Mage = 13.79 years old at baseline; 57% girls) from economically disadvantaged families, classified as being below the local income threshold in China, with four follow-up surveys administered during the following 2 years.

RESULTS

The general tendency in the developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior showed a linear decrease. A gender difference in initial levels was observed, with girls showing a higher initial level of prosocial behavior than boys. Family functioning, subjective support, and support utilization significantly affected the intercept, but objective support significantly negatively affected the slope. Heterogeneity in the development of prosocial behavior was best classified with a 3-class solution, including C1 (Rapid-decrease, 10.6%), C2 (Medium-stable, 42.5%), and C3 (High-increase, 46.9%). The patterns of prosocial behavior development in economically disadvantaged children with higher family functioning were more likely to be in the High-increase Class than in the Rapid-decrease Class.

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed an average decline in the trajectories of prosocial behavior development in economically disadvantaged children. However, it also captured heterogeneous developmental trajectories. Furthermore, the study revealed that family functioning, subjective support, and support utilization all served as protective factors for prosocial behavior among economically disadvantaged children.

The association between social support and prosocial behavior: A three-level meta-analysis

Numerous studies have examined the relationship between social support and prosocial behavior and have concluded that social support is an important factor in generating prosocial behavior. However, different studies have produced different conclusions, and the moderating effect on the relationship is not entirely clear. The current study uses a three-level meta-analysis method to clarify the relationship between social support and prosocial behavior, and explores the moderating variables that affect the relationship between the two variables. Through a systematic literature search, a total of 92 studies, 418 effect sizes, and 74,378 participants were obtained. The main effects test found a significant positive correlation between social support and prosocial behavior. Tests of the moderating effects indicated that the relationship between social support and prosocial behavior was moderated by year of publication, source of social support, measurement of social support and measurement of prosocial behavior. In summary, social support plays an important role in prosocial behavior, and exploring their relationship is beneficial to families, schools and society in guiding individuals' prosocial behavior.

Empathy across three generations: From maternal and peer support in adolescence to adult parenting and child outcomes

This study examined the development of empathic care across three generations in a sample of 184 adolescents in the United States (99 female, 85 male; 58% White, 29% African American, 8% mixed race/ethnicity, 5% other groups), followed from their family of origin at age 13 into their parenting years (through their mid-30s). Mothers' empathic support toward adolescents at age 13 predicted teens' empathy for close friends across adolescence (13-19 years). Participants' empathic support for friends in late adolescence predicted more supportive parenting behavior in adulthood, which in turn was associated with their children's empathy at age 3-8 years. Results suggest that individuals "pay forward" the empathic care they receive from parents, and that skills developed in adolescent friendships may inform later parenting.

From developmental neuroscience to policy: A novel framework based on participatory research

Insights from developmental neuroscience are not always translated to actionable policy decisions. In this review, we explore the potential of bridging the gap between developmental neuroscience and policy through youth participatory research approaches. As the current generation of adolescents lives in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing society, their lived experiences are crucial for both research and policy. Moreover, their active involvement holds significant promise, given their heightened creativity and need to contribute. We therefore advocate for a transdisciplinary framework that fosters collaboration between developmental scientists, adolescents, and policy makers in addressing complex societal challenges. We highlight the added value of adolescents' lived experiences in relation to two pressing societal issues affecting adolescents' mental health: performance pressure and social inequality. By integrating firsthand lived experiences with insights from developmental neuroscience, we provide a foundation for progress in informed policy decisions.

Age-related changes in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activation are associated with daily prosocial behaviors two years later

As adolescents acquire agency and become contributing members of society, it is necessary to understand how they help their community. Yet, it is unknown how prosocial behavior develops in the context of community-based prosocial behaviors that are relevant to adolescents, such as donating time to charities. In this longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging study, adolescents (N=172; mean age at wave 1=12.8) completed a prosocial task annually for three years (N=422 and 375 total behavioral and neural data points, respectively), and 14 days of daily diaries reporting on their prosocial behaviors two years later. During the task, adolescents decided how many minutes they would donate to a variety of local charities. We found that adolescents donated less time to charities from early to mid adolescence. Longitudinal whole-brain analyses revealed declines in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) activation, as well as inverted U-shaped changes in precuneus activation when adolescents donated their time from early to mid adolescence. A less steep decrease in vlPFC activation predicted greater real-life prosocial behaviors in youth's daily lives two years later. Our study elucidates the neurodevelopmental mechanisms of prosocial behavior from early to mid adolescence that have enduring effects on daily prosocial behaviors in late adolescence.

Family and developmental correlates of adolescent involvement in decision making about screen use

Objective

Assess how child involvement in making rules about screen time relates to age, child prosocial functioning, and amount of screen use.

Methods

NORC's AmeriSpeak Panel was used to recruit a nationally representative sample of parents or guardians of school-aged children (age 5-17) in the United States (n = 2084). Parents completed survey that included measures of screen time, child involvement in rule making about screen use, family functioning, and dimensions of child psychosocial functioning.

Results

Across all age categories, most families had some form of rules about the allowable amount of screen-based digital media for uses other than schoolwork: 86% of elementary school-aged children (ages 5 to 10), 81% of middle school-aged children (ages 11-13), and 61% of high school aged children (ages 14-17). Across all age groups, having rules was associated with fewer hours of screen time (elementary school: B = -1.31, 95% CI = -1.80 to -0.81, p < 0.001; middle school: B = -1.40, 95% CI = -2.20 to -0.59, p < 0.001; high school: B = -0.97, 95% CI = -1.68 to -0.27, p = 0.007). Child involvement in making rules was significantly greater for high school students as compared to elementary school students (ß=0.12, p < 0.001), and not associated with high school- or middle-school aged child screen time. Across all age groups, child involvement in making rules was associated with higher levels of prosocial functioning (elementary school: ß=0.07, p < 0.001; middle school: ß=0.19, p = 0.001; high school: ß=0.21, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Child involvement in making rules about screen use may be an opportunity to strengthen developmentally important competencies, as part of a broader autonomy-supportive approach to parenting.

Peer factors and prosocial behavior among Chinese adolescents from difficult families

Adolescents from difficult families (ADF) is a vulnerable group in China, and there have been few studies focused on them at present. To improve the welfare system for vulnerable groups and gain a better understanding of the situation regarding ADF, it is important to identify the association between peer factors, family functioning, and prosocial behavior among ADF. 1047 adolescents aged 10-15 from difficult families were selected from 21 counties in 7 provinces across China based on the multistage stratified sampling method. Regression analysis and moderation analyses were performed to identify the association of prosocial behavior with peer factors and family functioning. Lower peer quality and poorer family functioning were significantly associated with less prosocial behavior. The was no significant association between peer quantity and prosocial behavior. Family functioning moderated the relationship between peer quality and prosocial behavior. ADF with higher quality peers are more likely to show more prosocial behavior, and poor family functioning would weaken the association between peer quality and prosocial behavior. The protection of ADF can begin by improving family functioning and guiding ADF to form relationships with high-quality peers.

Experiences of Interpersonal Violence in Sport and Perceived Coaching Style Among College Athletes

Importance

Concern about interpersonal violence (IV) in sport is increasing, yet its implications remain poorly understood, particularly among currently competing college athletes.

Objective

To document the self-reported prevalence of IV in college sports; identify associated risk factors; examine potential consequences associated with athletes' psychosocial well-being, emotional connection to their sport, and willingness to seek help; and explore the associations between IV reporting and perceived variations in coaching styles.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This survey study analyzes results of the 2021 to 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) myPlaybook survey, which was administered from July to December 2021 to 123 colleges and universities across the US. Participants were NCAA athletes aged 18 to 25 years who were current players on an NCAA-sanctioned team.

Exposures

Self-reported demographic characteristics (eg, athlete gender identity and sexual orientation) and perceived differences in supportive vs abusive coaching styles (eg, athlete autonomy, team culture, and extent of abusive supervision).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was self-reported experiences of IV in sport during the college sports career of currently competing college athletes. Types of IV considered were physical abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, and neglect or abandonment. Outcomes potentially affected by IV were assessed with 4 questionnaires.

Results

A total of 4119 athletes (mean [SD] age, 19.3 [1.5] years; 2302 males [55.9%]) completed the survey (response rate, 21.2%). One in 10 athletes (404 of 4119 [9.8%]) reported experiencing at least 1 type of IV during their college sports career, of whom two-thirds (267 [6.5%]) experienced IV within the past 6 weeks. On multivariable analysis, female gender identity (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% CI, 1.46-3.13), nonheterosexual sexual orientation (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.01-2.42), increasing age beyond 18 years (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.30), increasing year of NCAA eligibility beyond the first year (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39), and participation in select sports (eg, volleyball: OR, 2.77 [95% CI, 1.34-5.72]; ice hockey: OR, 2.86 [95% CI, 1.17-6.95]) were independently associated with IV. When exposed to IV, college athletes reported experiencing consistently worse psychosocial outcomes, including increased burnout (mean difference on a 5-point Likert scale, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.86; P < .001) and an expressed desire to consider quitting their sport (mean difference, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.70-0.92; P < .001). They were not, however, less willing to seek help. Differences in coaching style were associated with differences in IV reporting. In risk-adjusted linear regression models, having a more supportive coach was associated with a 7.4 (95% CI, 6.4-8.4) absolute percentage point decrease in athletes' probability of reporting experiencing IV. In contrast, having a more abusive coach was associated with up to a 15.4 (95% CI, 13.8-17.1) absolute percentage point increase in athletes' probability of reporting experiencing IV.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this survey study suggest that IV is associated with marked changes in the psychosocial health and emotional well-being of college athletes, particularly those who identify as female and with nonheterosexual sexual orientations. Variations in coaching style have the potential to alter these associations. Ongoing efforts are needed to leverage the unique position that coaches hold to help reduce IV and create safe places where all college athletes can thrive.

Bidirectional Relationship between Adolescent Gender Egalitarianism and Prosocial Behavior

This study investigates the bidirectional associations between gender egalitarianism and prosocial behavior in adolescents, and the moderating effect of gender in the associations, as well as gender differences and longitudinal changes in both. We recruited 543 Chinese adolescents (284 girls, 259 boys; mean age at Time 1 = 11.27 years) and collected three waves of data measuring gender egalitarianism and prosocial behavior at one-year intervals. According to the results, girls expressed greater gender egalitarianism than boys did; girls reported more prosocial behavior than boys in the sixth grade, but there were no significant gender differences in the seventh and eighth grades. Adolescents' gender egalitarianism stayed stable from the sixth to the seventh grade then increased from the seventh to the eighth grade, and there was a decrease in prosocial behavior from the sixth to the seventh grade. More importantly, the results of the multi-group cross-lagged panel model revealed that adolescents' gender egalitarianism in the previous year positively predicted prosocial behavior in the next year, and vice versa; such bidirectional associations equally applied to boys and girls. These findings add to the knowledge of adolescent gender egalitarianism and prosocial behavior, and the dynamic interplay between the two.

The catcher in the mind: validation of the brief-mentalized affectivity scale for adolescents in the Italian population

The concept of mentalized affectivity (MA) encompasses the dimensions of identifying, processing, and expressing emotions and describes the process of making sense of and reevaluating one's affects in light of autobiographical memory. This construct was developed within the theoretical framework of mentalization and, due to its interpersonal nature, added further complexity to the emotion regulation construct. This research aimed to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Brief-Mentalized Affectivity Scale for adolescents (B-MAS-A) on an Italian sample of young people (aged 13-19 years). Data were collected using non-probabilistic sampling and an online survey. Participants were asked to complete a large battery of instruments, including the B-MAS-A, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, the Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. In study 1, factor analyses carried out on a total sample of 566 adolescents identified 3 distinct dimensions of the same components of MA found in the adult population: i) identifying; ii) processing; iii) expressing emotions. The subscales showed excellent internal consistency. Study 2 (involving a subsample of 288 participants) demonstrated good levels of construct and criterion validity. These results confirm that the B-MAS-A represents a valid and robust instrument for assessing the complex and multifaceted characteristics of MA in adolescents. The B-MAS-A can make a significant contribution to clinical practice and research and encourage systematic studies on MA in psychotherapy, taking into account the developmental stage of adolescence.

Transitioning from childhood into adolescence: A comprehensive longitudinal behavioral and neuroimaging study on prosocial behavior and social inclusion

Acting prosocially and feeling socially included are important factors for developing social relations. However, little is known about the development of neural trajectories of prosocial behavior and social inclusion in the transition from middle childhood to early adolescence. In this pre-registered study, we investigated the development of prosocial behavior, social inclusion, and their neural mechanisms in a three-wave longitudinal design (ages 7-13 years; NT1 = 512; NT2 = 456; NT3 = 336). We used the Prosocial Cyberball Game, a ball tossing game in which one player is excluded, to measure prosocial compensating behavior. Prosocial compensating behavior showed a linear developmental increase, similar to parent-reported prosocial behavior, whereas parent-reported empathy showed a quadratic trajectory with highest levels in late childhood. On a neural level we found a peak in ventral striatum activity during prosocial compensating behavior. Neural activity during social inclusion showed quadratic age effects in anterior cingulate cortex, insula, striatum, and precuneus, and a linear increase in temporo-parietal junction. Finally, changes in prosocial compensating behavior were negatively associated with changes in ventral striatum and mPFC activity during social inclusion, indicating an important co-occurrence between development in brain and social behavior. Together these findings shed a light on the mechanisms underlying social development from childhood into adolescence.

Crisis as Opportunity, Risk, or Turmoil: Qualitative Study of Youth Narratives About the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE

The present study employed a narrative approach in order to explore how young people constructed meanings regarding their sense of self in the context of COVID-19 experiences. Adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group, as the developmental challenges they face are superimposed and amplified by the accidental crisis caused by the pandemic.

METHODS

An in-depth narrative analysis was conducted on written accounts of 13 females aged 17-23 years from Serbia. We selected these narratives from a larger sample of 70 responses (M = 20.1; SD = 2.9; 85.7% female) collected via an online form. We used reflexive thematic analysis as a tool for the selection process of the narratives subjected to in-depth narrative analysis.

RESULTS

Young people told stories that differ significantly in coherence, affective tone, personal agency, and depth of self-exploration. Narrative analysis of the selected accounts identified three distinct types of stories: (1) crisis as an opportunity for personal growth, (2) crisis as a risk for the sense of self, and (3) crisis as inner turmoil.

DISCUSSION

Narrative analysis enabled us to recognize three distinct processes of youth meaning-making related to the sense of self in times of crisis, all reflecting a significant impact on their core developmental task. Personal narratives served different functions; for some, the pandemic was framed as a challenge one could grow from, while others were left devastated or overwhelmed. Narrative coherence reflected youths' capacities for integrating experiences not necessarily connected to their psychological well-being.

Determining Positive Behavioral Skills in Different Age Groups of Young Basketball Players during the Pandemic

Assessing psychological indicators such as positive behavioral skills in the context of adolescent personality development during the pandemic era is highly relevant: the growing problem of peer disrespect among adolescents who participate in sports has recently become an undeniable scientific issue. This study aimed to analyze positive behavioral skills in the cadet (U16) and junior (U18) age groups of young basketball players during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 378 male athletes (age 16.36 ± 1.15 years). Results revealed that U18 athletes are more capable of taking responsibility, positively evaluating themselves, behaving pro-socially with teammates, cooperating, demonstrating assertiveness, demonstrating self-control, and managing emotions than U16 adolescent athletes. When comparing the effect sizes in the current study during the pandemic with similar studies by other authors, the pandemic may have had a larger negative effect on some positive behavioral skills (ability to control emotions, social responsibility skills, cooperation skills) in U16 athletes than in U18 athletes, as the effect sizes were small before the pandemic and moderate during the pandemic in the current study. This study's results may be useful for developing and implementing a young athletes' education program based on a comprehensive model of positive behavioral skills that include the indicators analyzed.

Parental, Teacher and Peer Effects on the Social Behaviors of Chinese Adolescents: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Adolescent behavior is closely related to academic and long-term personal development, and adolescents are vulnerable to the influences from people around them. This study aimed to analyze the factors and mechanisms that influence the behavior of adolescents. It examines the impact of family, teachers, and peers on adolescent prosocial behavior and misconduct. Data were obtained from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) follow-up data (2014-2015 school year) and 7835 middle school student participants were used for analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the influence and mechanisms of family, teachers, and peers on the development of adolescent social behavior. The findings showed that parental relationships, parental discipline, teacher supervision, and positive peer behavior were positively associated with adolescent prosocial behaviors and reduced the incidence of delinquent behaviors, while frequent home-school contact was associated with misconduct (all p < 0.01). These results remained significant after controlling for gender, residence, only-child status, family financial situation, and paternal education. Significant others in an adolescent's life play multiple essential roles in forming and developing adolescent behavior and in directly influencing them. To guide the prosocial behaviors of middle school students and reduce delinquent behavior, we should build harmonious parent-child, peer, and teacher-student relationships, teach according to their aptitudes, pay attention to particular groups and strengthen psychological health education to develop their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Social learning across adolescence: A Bayesian neurocognitive perspective

Adolescence is a period of social re-orientation in which we are generally more prone to peer influence and the updating of our beliefs based on social information, also called social learning, than in any other stage of our life. However, how do we know when to use social information and whose information to use and how does this ability develop across adolescence? Here, we review the social learning literature from a behavioral, neural and computational viewpoint, focusing on the development of brain systems related to executive functioning, value-based decision-making and social cognition. We put forward a Bayesian reinforcement learning framework that incorporates social learning about value associated with particular behavior and uncertainty in our environment and experiences. We discuss how this framework can inform us about developmental changes in social learning, including how the assessment of uncertainty and the ability to adaptively discriminate between information from different social sources change across adolescence. By combining reward-based decision-making in the domains of both informational and normative influence, this framework explains both negative and positive social peer influence in adolescence.

Social influence in adolescence as a double-edged sword

Social learning is fundamental to human development, helping individuals adapt to changing circumstances and cooperate in groups. During the formative years of adolescence, the social environment shapes people's socio-cognitive skills needed in adulthood. Although peer influence among adolescents is traditionally associated with risky and unruly conduct, with long-term negative effects on educational, economic and health outcomes, recent findings suggest that peers may also have a positive impact. Here, we present a series of experiments with 10-20-year-olds (n = 146) showing that positive and negative peer effects reflect a domain-general factor of social information use which declines during adolescence. Exposure to disobedient peers provoked rule breaking, and selfish peers reduced prosocial behaviour, particularly in early adolescence. However, compliant peers also promoted rule compliance and fair peers increased prosociality. A belief formation task further revealed that younger adolescents tend to assimilate social information, while older adolescents prioritize personal views. Our results highlight early adolescence as a key window for peer-based interventions to improve developmental trajectories.

Prosocial Behavior and Aggression in the Daily School Lives of Early Adolescents

Research has not adequately addressed a possible mutual co-regulatory influence of prosocial and aggressive behaviors in adolescents' daily lives. This study explored bidirectional within-person associations between prosocial and aggressive behaviors in the daily school lives of early adolescents. The sample included 242 sixth-graders [M_age = 11.96 (SD = 0.18), 50% girls] and their teachers. Adolescents reported on daily prosocial behavior and reactive and proactive aggression for ten consecutive days. Teachers and adolescents reported on adolescents' overall prosocial behaviors. Across-day prosocial behaviors increased after days when adolescents exhibited more reactive aggression but not among self-reported low-prosocial adolescents. Increased prosocial behaviors did not mitigate aggression the next day. The findings suggest prosocial behaviors are a plausible compensatory strategy after daily aggressive reactions.