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20-09-2024 | Empirical Research

Empathy as a Mediator of the Relation between Peer Influence and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis

Auteurs: Wei Li, Qi-Fan He, Jian-Zeng Lan, Attiq-Ur-Rehman, Meng-Wei Ge, Lu-Ting Shen, Fei-Hong Hu, Yi-Jie Jia, Hong-Lin Chen

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence | Uitgave 3/2025

Abstract

During adolescence, empathy and prosocial behavior contribute to the establishment of positive interpersonal relationships and social connections, promoting holistic development in youth. A substantial amount of research has provided compelling evidence that there is a relationship between peer relationships and empathy and prosocial behavior. Empathy, as a key mediating factor, links the influence of peers with prosocial behavior in adolescents, yet there is currently a lack of robust meta-analytic evidence regarding this mediating role. This study employed a two-stage structural equation modeling approach to synthesize existing research on peer influence, empathy, and prosocial behavior during adolescence. Systematic searches were conducted across three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO), identifying a total of 49 studies, with a systematic assessment of study quality. The results indicated that empathy plays a mediating role between peer influence and prosocial behavior. Positive peer influence is positively correlated with empathy and prosocial behavior, while negative peer influence is negatively correlated with empathy and prosocial behavior, and empathy is positively correlated with prosocial behavior. This meta-analysis demonstrates that during adolescence, empathy mediates the connection between peer influence and prosocial behavior, representing a potential process that can explain the relationship between peer influence and prosocial behavior.

vorige artikel The Developmental Trajectory of Chinese Adolescents’ Self-Compassion and its Relationship with Parenting Styles: a Longitudinal Study

volgende artikel Longitudinal Associations of (Un)popularity with Weight Perceptions and Dieting in Adolescence

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Titel: Empathy as a Mediator of the Relation between Peer Influence and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis
Auteurs: Wei Li
Qi-Fan He
Jian-Zeng Lan
Attiq-Ur-Rehman
Meng-Wei Ge
Lu-Ting Shen
Fei-Hong Hu
Yi-Jie Jia
Hong-Lin Chen
Publicatiedatum: 20-09-2024
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence / Uitgave 3/2025
Print ISSN: 0047-2891
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-6601
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-02079-3

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Empathy as a Mediator of the Relation between Peer Influence and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis

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Adolescents and Social Media: Longitudinal Links Between Motivations for Using Social Media and Subsequent Internalizing Symptoms

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