The Relation of Pro‐Sociality to Self‐Esteem: The Mediational Role of Quality of Friendships

• DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12137
• Publication Date: 2014-09-19T11:02:13Z
• Authors: Antonio Zuffianò; Nancy Eisenberg; Guido Alessandri; Bernadette Paula ...; Concetta Pastorelli; Michela Milioni; Gian Vittorio Cap...
• Keywords: Male; 05 social sciences; Social Support; Friends; Self Concept; Young Adult; Italy; prosociality self-esteem; friendship; Quality of Life; Humans; Female; Interpersonal Relations; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Longitudinal Studies; Social Adjustment; Internal-External Control

AbstractThe present longitudinal study examined the role of quality of friendship in mediating the relation of pro‐sociality to self‐esteem over time. Participants were 424 Italian young adults (56% females) assessed at two waves (Mage = 21.1 at Time 1; Mage = 25 at Time 2). An autoregressive cross‐lagged panel model was used to test the mediational model. Self‐ and friend‐report measures of pro‐sociality, quality of friendship, and self‐esteem were included in the analyses. Results were in line with the hypothesized paths, with quality of friendship mediating the relation of pro‐sociality to later self‐esteem above and beyond its high stability. Self‐esteem, in turn, predicted pro‐sociality 4 years later. Overall, the present findings support the potential benefits of behaving pro‐socially for an actor in terms of increased perceived self‐worth and also expand previous work by outlining the specific mediational role of the quality of friendships. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.