The Effects of Helping Others on Teenagers' Happiness
Author Information
Author(s): Gaetana Affuso, Nicola Picone, Grazia De Angelis, Mirella Dragone, Concetta Esposito, Maddalena Pannone, Anna Zannone, Dario Bacchini, Paul B. Tchounwou
Primary Institution: University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli'
Hypothesis
Prosociality would be positively related to later within-person changes in peer support and psychological well-being.
Conclusion
Adolescents with higher levels of psychological well-being are more likely to engage in prosocial behaviors over time.
Supporting Evidence
- Prosociality, peer support, and psychological well-being were positively associated at all time points.
- Female gender was positively associated with psychological well-being and prosociality at all survey points.
- Peer support mediated the effects of prosociality on psychological well-being.
Takeaway
If teenagers feel good about themselves, they are more likely to help others, which can make them even happier.
Methodology
A four-wave longitudinal study using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to analyze the relationships between prosociality, peer support, and psychological well-being.
Potential Biases
Self-report measures may introduce bias.
Limitations
Causal relations should be interpreted cautiously as other unmeasured variables may influence the results.
Participant Demographics
587 adolescents (308 males, 279 females; average age 14.23 years) from various high schools in southern Italy.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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