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Longitudinal interplay of prosocial behavior and multiple interpersonal relationships among Chinese children in
Mingshu Chen1, Ruibo Xie1, Yu Zhang1
1Zhejiang Philosophy and Social Science Laboratory for the Mental Health and Crisis Intervention of Children and Adolescents, School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University.
Abstract:
This four-wave longitudinal study examined bidirectional links between prosocial behavior and family, peer, and teacher-student relationships among Chinese children in Grades 3-6 (N = 762; Mage = 8.56, SD = 0.56; 62.2% boys). A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model revealed significant within-person dynamic interactions: a sustained reciprocal enhancement spiral between prosocial behavior and peer relationships (Wave 1-Wave 4) and an early positive feedback loop with family relationships (Wave 1-Wave 3). A critical socialization phase emerged at Grade 4 (Wave 2), when peer relationships positively predicted subsequent family relationships (β = 0.153), prosocial behavior (β = 0.141), and teacher-student relationships (β = 0.110). Family and school interpersonal relationships also facilitated each other. These findings delineate person-environment interactions in social development, extending developmental resource theories and proposing a multisystem interpersonal environment model to inform collaborative family-school interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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