Affiliation:
1. School of Education Science Hunan Normal University Changsha Hunan Province China
2. China Research Center for Mental Health Education Hunan Normal University Changsha Hunan Province China
3. Institute of Education Hunan University of Science & Technology Xiangtan Hunan Province China
Abstract
AbstractIntroductionThis study explored the general tendencies and heterogeneous developmental trajectory of prosocial behavior and predictors.MethodThe 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionThe 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.