Abstract
Prosocial behavior has been regarded as a necessity for a society to function well. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional competence, interpersonal relationship, and prosocial behavior among 496 school-going adolescents in Malaysia. The subjects were selected using Multistage Cluster Sampling method. Profile of Emotional Competence, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment Scale, and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires were used to measure emotional competence, interpersonal relationship with peers, and adolescents’ prosocial behavior respectively. The results showed significant positive relationships among emotional competence, interpersonal relationship with peers, and prosocial behavior. Further analysis revealed that adolescents who reported having higher emotional competence tend to have better interpersonal relationships with peers which in turn led to higher involvement in prosocial behavior. Emotional competence and interpersonal relationship with peers are thus established as two important factors to promote prosocial behavior among adolescents.
Highlights
Prosocial behavior can be defined as behavior intended to benefit another without the expectation of reward (Rathus, 2017)
The Pearson correlation analysis indicated that emotional competence, r(494) = 0.34, p < 0.001 and interpersonal relationships with peers, r(494) = 0.40, p < 0.001 were positively correlated with prosocial behavior
Emotional competence was positively associated with interpersonal relationships with peers, r(494) = 0.42, p < 0.001
Summary
Prosocial behavior can be defined as behavior intended to benefit another without the expectation of reward (Rathus, 2017). Prosocial behavior serves as an essential factor in reducing the tendency of adolescents to develop problematic behaviors (Griese & Buhs, 2014) besides ensuring the stability of a relationship in maintaining harmony and closer bond (De Cremer & Tyler, 2005). Caprara et al (2014) found that prosocial children and adolescents perform better in school and have better peer relationships. Adolescence is marked as a transition period in human development that involves biological, cognitive, and social changes (Brittian & Humphries, 2015), including the most prominent emotional and peer relationship changes (Albert et al, 2013; Brechwald & Prinstein, 2011).
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