IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v94y2018icp421-436.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Factors influencing the development of empathy and pro-social behaviour among adolescents: A systematic review

Author

Listed:
  • Silke, Charlotte
  • Brady, Bernadine
  • Boylan, Ciara
  • Dolan, Pat

Abstract

Research has indicated that empathy and prosocial responding are associated with numerous emotional, psychological and social benefits. However, although adolescence is recognised as a key period for prosocial development, knowledge about the factors that facilitate the development of empathy and prosocial responding among adolescents is limited. A narrative systematic review was conducted of studies examining the significant social and psychological correlates of empathy and prosocial behaviour in adolescents. Empirical research papers focusing on typically developing adolescents, aged 13-18 years were identified and assessed for quality. Findings from a total of 168 papers were extracted and subjected to a narrative synthesis. Results indicated that a number of different contextual and psychological factors significantly influence the levels of other-oriented (empathy and prosocial) responding expressed by adolescents. However, findings indicate that differential relationships may be observed depending on how empathy and prosocial responding are operationalised. Overall, results from this review have important implications for future research and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Silke, Charlotte & Brady, Bernadine & Boylan, Ciara & Dolan, Pat, 2018. "Factors influencing the development of empathy and pro-social behaviour among adolescents: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 421-436.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:94:y:2018:i:c:p:421-436
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.07.027
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740918301889
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.07.027?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chowhan, James & Stewart, Jennifer M., 2007. "Television and the behaviour of adolescents: Does socio-economic status moderate the link?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(7), pages 1324-1336, October.
    2. Ben Law & Daniel Shek, 2011. "Validation of the Beliefs Against Volunteering Scale among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(2), pages 287-298, January.
    3. Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria E. & Roshani, Mehrnoosh & Hassanabadi, Hamidreza & Masoudian, Zahra & Afruz, Gholam A., 2011. "Risk and protective factors for residential foster care adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Ying Yang & Peipei Li & Yu Kou, 2017. "Orientations to Happiness and Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(4), pages 881-897, December.
    5. Cheung, Chau-kiu & Ngai, Steven Sek-yum, 2015. "Four- and ten-month lagged effects of individual counseling on the prosocial behavior of young people," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 89-96.
    6. Ying Yang & Peipei Li & Xinyuan Fu & Yu Kou, 2017. "Orientations to Happiness and Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents: The Roles of Prosocial Behavior and Internet Addictive Behavior," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1747-1762, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fike, Kayla J. & Mattis, Jacqueline S. & Nickodem, Kyle & Guillaume, Casta, 2023. "Black adolescent altruism: Exploring the role of racial discrimination and empathy," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Smyth, Emer & Darmody, Merike, 2021. "Risk and protective factors in adolescent behaviour: The role of family, school and neighbourhood characteristics in (mis)behaviour among young people," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS119.
    3. Alan C. Logan & Susan L. Prescott, 2022. "Planetary Health: We Need to Talk about Narcissism," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, May.
    4. Brady, Bernadine & Chaskin, Robert J. & McGregor, Caroline, 2020. "Promoting civic and political engagement among marginalized urban youth in three cities: Strategies and challenges," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Quan, Sixiang, 2021. "Socioeconomic status and prosocial behaviors among Chinese emerging adults: Sequential mediators of parental warmth and personal belief in a just world," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    6. de Wied, Minet & van der Graaff, Jolien & de Rooij, Guido & Scheepers, Floor & Hoekstra, Pieter J. & Branje, Susan & van de Schoot, Rens, 2020. "The role of client empathy in treatment outcome in a sample of adolescents referred to forensic youth psychiatric services," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    7. Arcadio de Jesús Cardona-Isaza & Remedios González Barrón & Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla, 2023. "Empathy and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescent Offenders: The Mediating Role of Rational Decisions," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hezhi Chen & Zhijia Zeng, 2023. "Seeking Pleasure is Good, but Avoiding Pain is Bad: Distinguishing Hedonic Approach from Hedonic Avoidance Orientations," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(7), pages 2377-2393, October.
    2. Wenjie Li & Linting Zhang & Chengcheng Li & Ningzhe Zhu & Jingjing Zhao & Feng Kong, 2022. "Pursuing Pleasure or Meaning: A Cross-Lagged Analysis of Happiness Motives and Well-being in Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 3981-3999, December.
    3. Daye Son & Laura M. Padilla-Walker, 2020. "Happy Helpers: A Multidimensional and Mixed-Method Approach to Prosocial Behavior and Its Effects on Friendship Quality, Mental Health, and Well-Being During Adolescence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1705-1723, June.
    4. Wenjie Li & Linting Zhang & Ning Jia & Feng Kong, 2021. "Validation of the Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities-Revised Scale in Chinese Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-10, April.
    5. José M. Peiró & Malgorzata W. Kozusznik & Aida Soriano, 2019. "From Happiness Orientations to Work Performance: The Mediating Role of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Experiences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Esther Yuet Ying Lau & Xingzhou Zhang & Rong-wei Sun & John Chi-Kin Lee, 2024. "“The Sum Is Greater Than the Parts?”—The Role of Student Covitality in Flourishing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 1-22, June.
    7. Ying Yang & Zhen Guo & Yu Kou & Ben Liu, 2019. "Linking Self-Compassion and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Relatedness and Trust," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(6), pages 2035-2049, December.
    8. Jing Li & Meilin Yao & Hongrui Liu, 2021. "From Social Support to Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being: the Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation and Prosocial Behavior and Gender Difference," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 77-93, February.
    9. Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar & Mythily Subramaniam & Esmond Seow & Sherilyn Chang & Rajeswari Sambasivam & Nan Luo & Swapna Verma & Siow Ann Chong & Rob M. van Dam, 2022. "Youth Positive Mental Health Concepts and Definitions: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-17, September.
    10. Minh T. H. Le, 2023. "Does brand love lead to brand addiction?," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 57-68, March.
    11. Mingyu Guo & Lingxiao Wang & Liang Zhang & Qingqing Hou & Jian Yang & Shumin Chang, 2023. "Placing Adolescents on a Trajectory to Happiness: The Role of Family Assets and Intentional Self-Regulation," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 945-966, March.
    12. Hezhi Chen & Zhijia Zeng, 2021. "When Do Hedonic and Eudaimonic Orientations Lead to Happiness? Moderating Effects of Orientation Priority," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-12, September.
    13. Zhijia Zeng & Hezhi Chen, 2020. "Distinct Associations of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives with Well-Being: Mediating Role of Self-Control," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-9, July.
    14. Eunhee Erica Ko & Minho Cho, 2022. "Exploring Determinants of Tourists’ Ethical Behavior Intention for Sustainable Tourism: The Role of Both Pursuit of Happiness and Normative Goal Framing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.
    15. Diya Dou & Daniel T. L. Shek, 2021. "Concurrent and Longitudinal Relationships between Positive Youth Development Attributes and Adolescent Internet Addiction Symptoms in Chinese Mainland High School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-20, February.
    16. Jason D. E. Proulx & Julia W. Van de Vondervoort & J. Kiley Hamlin & John F. Helliwell & Lara B. Aknin, 2023. "Are Real-World Prosociality Programs Associated with Greater Psychological Well-Being in Primary School-Aged Children?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-22, March.
    17. Baojie Zhang & Lifeng Yang & Xiangyang Cheng & Feiyu Chen, 2021. "How Does Employee Green Behavior Impact Employee Well-Being? An Empirical Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.
    18. Vanschoonlandt, Femke & Vanderfaeillie, Johan & Van Holen, Frank & De Maeyer, Skrällan & Robberechts, Marijke, 2013. "Externalizing problems in young foster children: Prevalence rates, predictors and service use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 716-724.
    19. Haiyang Lu & Peng Nie & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2021. "The Effect of Parental Educational Expectations on Adolescent Subjective Well-Being and the Moderating Role of Perceived Academic Pressure: Longitudinal Evidence for China," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 117-137, February.
    20. Haddow, Sonal & Taylor, Emily P. & Schwannauer, Matthias, 2021. "Positive peer relationships, coping and resilience in young people in alternative care: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:94:y:2018:i:c:p:421-436. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.