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Who is Likely to Help and Hurt? Profiles of African American Adolescents with Prosocial and Aggressive Behavior

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Abstract

Prosocial behavior and aggression among children and adolescents are important indicators of social and interpersonal competence. The goal of this study was to investigate whether there are different prototypes among African American adolescents that can help explain prosocial and aggressive (relational and overt) behaviors. Also of interest was whether these profiles differed for boys and girls. The selection of independent variables (e.g., empathy, anger management, normative beliefs about aggression, and ethnic identity) was guided by an information processing model of aggression and prosocial behaviors. The sample consisted of 789 (57% female) African American adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14. Cluster analysis produced three profiles that were similar for boys and girls. These were labeled “well-adjusted,” “poorly adjusted,” and “low identity.” A fourth profile was labeled “low empathy” for girls and “poor anger management” for boys. These four clusters significantly differentiated who engaged in prosocial behavior and relational and overt aggression. Findings suggest that prevention programs may consider targeting well-adjusted youth to serve as peer modes. Additionally, programs that promote empathy, anger management, ethnic identity, and normative beliefs against aggression may be useful for reducing aggression and increasing prosocial behavior among poorly adjusted youth.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (Grant # HP79 SP10492) in an award to Virginia Commonwealth University (Faye Z. Belgrave, PI). We would like to acknowledge Vivian Lucas, Larry Everette, Herman Johnson, and Drs. Maya Corneille and Layla Esposito for their contributions to this project. We would also like to thank all of the students who participated.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Faye Z. Belgrave, Anh B. Nguyen, Jessica L. Johnson & Kristina Hood

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  1. Faye Z. Belgrave
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  2. Anh B. Nguyen
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Correspondence to Faye Z. Belgrave.

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Belgrave, F.Z., Nguyen, A.B., Johnson, J.L. et al. Who is Likely to Help and Hurt? Profiles of African American Adolescents with Prosocial and Aggressive Behavior. J Youth Adolescence 40, 1012–1024 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-010-9608-4

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