3-230 - Understanding Correlates and Outcomes of Prosocial Behavior Across Adolescence: The Utility of Person-Centered Approaches

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Scholars have demonstrated that prosocial behaviors (i.e., behaviors intended to help others) are multidimensional (Padilla-Walker & Carlo, 2014). Given our nuanced understanding of prosociality using a variable-centered framework, it follows that we should examine latent prosocial subpopulations. Indeed, researchers have substantiated this idea by identifying multiple growth trajectories of prosocial behaviors (e.g., Kanacri et al., 2014), though only with unidimensional measures. Others (e.g., Bettencourt et al., 2017; Newton et al., 2016) have examined how multiple prosocial and related behaviors jointly inform latent profiles, but these investigations have been limited (e.g., number of studies, sample characteristics).
The papers in this symposium used multiple assessments to identify latent prosocial subgroups in diverse samples across adolescence. Paper 1 identifies multiple latent growth trajectories of prosocial behavior and victimization, which predicted internalizing outcomes in a sample of rural and American Indian preadolescents. Papers 2, 3 and 4 applied Latent Profile Analysis in investigations of multidimensional prosocial behaviors. Using prosocial behaviors aimed at mothers and fathers, Paper 2 finds evidence for three adolescent subgroups reliably differentiated by social, emotional, and cultural correlates. Paper 3 supported four latent profiles of motivational and situational prosocial behaviors in U.S. Mexican and White early and late adolescents. Cultural and prosocial values distinguished these groups. Paper 4 demonstrated that these same four subgroups emerged in U.S. and Costa Rican college students, and socioemotional, sociocognitive, and parenting correlates differentiated these groups. These papers collectively illustrate that person-centered approaches facilitate our ability to understand the onset and consequences of adolescents’ prosocial behavior.

Sub Unit

• Moral Development

Chairs

• Meredith McGinley, University of Wisconsin-Parkside

• Sarah L. Pierotti, University of Missouri

Individual Presentations

• Peer Victimization in Rural and American Indian Youth: Is Prosocial Behavior a Resilient Response? - Presenting Author: Emily R. Griese, Sanford Research; Non-Presenting Author: Eric Buhs, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Non-Presenting Author: Jaymi Russo, Sanford Research; Non-Presenting Author: Valerie Bares, Sanford Research

• A Latent Profile Analysis of Adolescents’ Prosocial Behavior Toward Mothers and Fathers: Evidence for a Relational Approach - Presenting Author: Mary Eberly Lewis, Oakland University; Non-Presenting Author: Sarah L. Pierotti, University of Missouri

• Latent Profiles of Early and Late Adolescents’ Prosocial Behavior: Influences of Cultural and Prosocial Values - Presenting Author: Meredith McGinley, University of Wisconsin-Parkside; Non-Presenting Author: Sarah L. Pierotti, University of Missouri; Non-Presenting Author: Gustavo Carlo, University of Missouri; Non-Presenting Author: George Knight, Arizona State University

• A Latent Profile Analysis of U.S. and Costa Rican College Students’ Prosocial Behaviors - Presenting Author: Sarah L. Pierotti, University of Missouri; Non-Presenting Author: Meredith McGinley, University of Wisconsin-Parkside; Non-Presenting Author: Gustavo Carlo, University of Missouri; Non-Presenting Author: L. Diego Conejo, University of Costa Rica