Abstract
Prosocial behaviors are important indicators of positive social adjustment during adolescence in collectivistic cultures. Although parents play a central role in the process of cultural socialization, it remains unclear how culturally embedded parental goals for their children are related to adolescent prosocial development, especially in non-Western countries. Moreover, little is known about whether parenting practices serve as an underlying mechanism in linking parental goals and adolescents’ prosocial behaviors. To address these issues, this two-wave longitudinal study investigated the associations between parental collectivism goals and Chinese adolescents’ prosocial behaviors, with attention to the mediating role of authoritative parenting. Two hundred and eighty-five Chinese adolescents (51% girls; mean age = 12.29 years, SD = 0.64, range = 11–14) completed measures on parental collectivism goals, parenting practices, and their own prosocial behaviors. Results showed that adolescents’ perceived parental collectivism goals positively predicted their prosocial behaviors one year later, which was partially mediated by authoritative parenting. Notably, the effects of perceived parental collectivism goals and authoritative parenting on adolescents’ later prosocial behaviors were more salient when adolescents initially showed a lower level of prosocial behaviors. The findings highlight the positive effects of parental collectivism goals in promoting adolescent prosocial development via authoritative parenting in the Chinese context, and identify the subgroup of adolescents who may derive particular benefits from this process.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bornstein, M. H. (2012). Cultural approaches to parenting. Parenting: Science and Practice, 12, 212–221. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295192.2012.683359.
Caprara, G. V., Kanacri, B. P. L., Gerbino, M., Zuffiano, A., Alessandri, G., Vecchio, G., Caprara, E., Pastorelli, C., & Bridglall, B. (2014). Positive effects of promoting prosocial behavior in early adolescence: Evidence from a school-based intervention. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 38(4), 386–396. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025414531464.
Carlo, G., Crockett, L. J., Randall, B. A., & Roesch, S. C. (2007). A latent growth curve analysis of prosocial behavior among rural adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 17(2), 301–324. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00524.x.
Carlo, G., Mestre, M. V., Samper, P., Tur, A., & Armenta, B. E. (2011). The longitudinal relations among dimensions of parenting styles, sympathy, prosocial moral reasoning, and prosocial behaviors. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 35(2), 116–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025410375921.
Carlo, G., & Padilla‐Walker, L. (2020). Adolescents’ prosocial behaviors through a multidimensional and multicultural lens. Child Development Perspectives, 14(4), 265–272. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12391.
Carlo, G., & Randall, B. (2001). Are all prosocial behaviors equal? A socioecological developmental conception of prosocial behavior. In F. Columbus (Ed.), Advances in psychology research (pp. 151–170). Huntington, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
Carlo, G., White, R. M., Streit, C., Knight, G. P., & Zeiders, K. H. (2018). Longitudinal relations among parenting styles, prosocial behaviors, and academic outcomes in US Mexican adolescents. Child Development, 89(2), 577–592. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12761.
Chan, S. M., Bowes, J., & Wyver, S. (2009). Chinese parenting in Hong Kong: Links among goals, beliefs and styles. Early Child Development and Care, 179(7), 849–862. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430701536525.
Chen, X., & French, D. C. (2008). Children’s social competence in cultural context. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 591–616. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093606.
Chen, X., Fu, R., & Zhao, S. (2015). Culture and socialization. In J. E. Grusec & P. D. Hastings (Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory and research (pp. 451–471). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Chen, X., Liu, M., Rubin, K. H., Cen, G. Z., Gao, X., & Li, D. (2002). Sociability and prosocial orientation as predictors of youth adjustment: A seven-year longitudinal study in a Chinese sample. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 26(2), 128–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/01650250042000690.
Chen-Bouck, L., Patterson, M. M., & Chen, J. (2019). Relations of collectivism socialization goals and training beliefs to Chinese parenting. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 50(3), 396–418. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022118822046.
Cole, D. A., & Maxwell, S. E. (2003). Testing mediational models with longitudinal data: questions and tips in the use of structural equation modeling. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112(4), 558 https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.112.4.558.
Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487–496. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.113.3.487.
Davis, A. N., Carlo, G., Streit, C., Schwartz, S. J., Unger, J. B., Baezconde-Garbanati, L., & Szapocznik, J. (2018). Longitudinal associations between maternal involvement, cultural orientations, and prosocial behaviors among recent immigrant Latino adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(2), 460–472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0792-3.
Do, K. T., McCormick, E. M., & Telzer, E. H. (2019). The neural development of prosocial behavior from childhood to adolescence. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 14(2), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsy117.
Du, Y., Kou, J., & Coghill, D. (2008). The validity, reliability and normative scores of the parent, teacher and self report versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in China. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2(1), 8 https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-2-8.
Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., & Knafo-Noam, A. (2015). Prosocial development. In R. M. Lerner (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science (7th ed., Vol. 3, pp. 610–656). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Feygina, I., & Henry, P. J. (2015). Culture and prosocial behavior. In D. A. Schroeder & W. G. Graziano (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of prosocial behavior (pp. 188–208). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399813.013.009
Gagné, M. (2003). The role of autonomy support and autonomy orientation in prosocial behavior engagement. Motivation and Emotion, 27(3), 199–223. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025007614869.
Goodman, R., & Scott, S. (1999). Comparing the strengths and difficulties questionnaire and the child behavior checklist: Is small beautiful? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27(1), 17–24. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022658222914.
Grusec, J. E., & Davidov, M. (2010). Integrating different perspectives on socialization theory and research: A domain‐specific approach. Child Development, 81(3), 687–709. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01426.x.
Guinote, A., Cotzia, I., Sandhu, S., & Siwa, P. (2015). Social status modulates prosocial behavior and egalitarianism in preschool children and adults. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(3), 731–736. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1414550112.
Hastings, P. D., Miller, J. G., & Troxel, N. R. (2015). Making good: The socialization of children’s prosocial development. In J. E. Grusec & P. D. Hastings (Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory and research (pp. 637–660). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Ho, G. W., Chan, A. C., & Gross, D. A. (2021). Measuring child‐rearing goals for parents with young children: A scoping review. Family Process. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12721
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118.
Hunter, E. C., Katz, L. F., Shortt, J. W., Davis, B., Leve, C., Allen, N. B., & Sheeber, L. B. (2011). How do I feel about feelings? Emotion socialization in families of depressed and healthy adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40(4), 428–441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-010-9545-2.
Kärtner, J., Keller, H., & Chaudhary, N. (2010). Cognitive and social influences on early prosocial behavior in two sociocultural contexts. Developmental Psychology, 46(4), 905–914. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019718.
Keller, H. (2003). Socialization for competence: Cultural models of infancy. Human Development, 46(5), 288–311. https://doi.org/10.1159/000071937.
Knight, G. P., Carlo, G., Mahrer, N. E., & Davis, A. N. (2016). The socialization of culturally related values and prosocial tendencies among Mexican‐American Adolescents. Child Development, 87(6), 1758–1771. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12634.
Korelitz, K. E., & Garber, J. (2016). Congruence of parents’ and children’s perceptions of parenting: A meta-analysis. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(10), 1973–1995. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0524-0.
Lansford, J. E., Godwin, J., Al-Hassan, S. M., Bacchini, D., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., Chen, B.-B., Deater-Deckard, K., Di Giunta, L., Dodge, K. A., Malone, P. S., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Steinberg, L., Tapanya, S., Alampay, L. P., Uribe Tirado, L. M., & Zelli, A. (2018). Longitudinal associations between parenting and youth adjustment in twelve cultural groups: Cultural normativeness of parenting as a moderator. Developmental Psychology, 54(2), 362–377. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000416.
Lansford, J. E., Sharma, C., Malone, P. S., Woodlief, D., Dodge, K. A., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Tapanya, S., Tirado, L. M. U., Zelli, A., Al-Hassan, S., Alampay, L. P., Bacchini, D., Bombi, A. S., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., & Giunta, L. D. (2014). Corporal punishment, maternal warmth, and child adjustment: A longitudinal study in eight countries. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 43(4), 670–685. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2014.893518.
Lenzi, M., Vieno, A., Perkins, D. D., Pastore, M., Santinello, M., & Mazzardis, S. (2012). Perceived neighborhood social resources as determinants of prosocial behavior in early adolescence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-011-9470-x.
Li, Y., Costanzo, P. R., & Putallaz, M. (2010). Maternal socialization goals, parenting styles, and social-emotional adjustment among Chinese and European American young adults: Testing a mediation model. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 171(4), 330–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2010.505969.
Little, R. J. (1988). A test of missing completely at random for multivariate data with missing values. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 83, 1198–1202. https://doi.org/10.2307/2290157.
Lu, T., Li, L., Niu, L., Jin, S., & French, D. C. (2018). Relations between popularity and prosocial behavior in middle school and high school Chinese adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 42(2), 175–181. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025416687411.
Luengo Kanacri, B. P., Pastorelli, C., Eisenberg, N., Zuffianò, A., & Caprara, G. V. (2013). The development of prosociality from adolescence to early adulthood: The role of effortful control. Journal of Personality, 81(3), 302–312. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12001.
Maslowsky, J., Jager, J., & Hemken, D. (2015). Estimating and interpreting latent variable interactions: A tutorial for applying the latent moderated structural equations method. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 39(1), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025414552301.
Miklikowska, M., Duriez, B., & Soenens, B. (2011). Family roots of empathy-related characteristics: The role of perceived maternal and paternal need support in adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 47(5), 1342–1352. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024726.
Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2019). Mplus user’s guide. (8th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.
National Bureau of Statistics of China. (2021). China statistical yearbook 2021. Retrieved from http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/2021/indexeh.htm
Ng, F. F. Y., Kenney‐Benson, G. A., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2004). Children’s achievement moderates the effects of mothers’ use of control and autonomy support. Child Development, 75(3), 764–780. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00705.x.
Ng, J., Xiong, Y., Qu, Y., Cheung, C., Ng, F. F. Y., Wang, M., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2019). Implications of Chinese and American mothers’ goals for children’s emotional distress. Developmental Psychology, 55(12), 2616–2629. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000834.
Ngai, S. S. Y., Xie, L., Ng, Y. H., & Ngai, H. L. (2018). The effects of parenting behavior on prosocial behavior of Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Children and Youth Services Review, 87, 154–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.030.
Nicholson, J. S., Deboeck, P. R., & Howard, W. (2017). Attrition in developmental psychology: A review of modern missing data reporting and practices. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 41(1), 143–153. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025415618275.
Oyserman, D., Coon, H. M., & Kemmelmeier, M. (2002). Rethinking individualism and collectivism: Evaluation of theoretical assumptions and meta-analyses. Psychological Bulletin, 128(1), 3–72. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.128.1.3.
Padilla-Walker, L. M., & Christensen, K. J. (2011). Empathy and self-regulation as mediators between parenting and adolescents’ prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends, and family. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21, 545–551. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00695.x.
Padilla-Walker, L. M., Nielson, M. G., & Day, R. D. (2016). The role of parental warmth and hostility on adolescents’ prosocial behavior toward multiple targets. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(3), 331 https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000157.
Pastorelli, C., Lansford, J. E., Luengo Kanacri, B. P., Malone, P. S., Di Giunta, L., Bacchini, D., Bombi, A. S., Zelli, A., Miranda, M. C., Bornstein, M. H., Tapanya, S., Tirado, L. M. U., Alampay, L. P., Al-Hassan, S. M., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., Dodge, K., Oburu, P., Skinner, A. T., & Sorbring, E. (2016). Positive parenting and children’s prosocial behavior in eight countries. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(7), 824–834. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12477.
Piff, P. K., Kraus, M. W., Côté, S., Cheng, B. H., & Keltner, D. (2010). Having less, giving more: the influence of social class on prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(5), 771–784. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020092.
Pomerantz, E. M., Moorman, E. A., & Litwack, S. D. (2007). The how, whom, and why of parents’ involvement in children’s academic lives: More is not always better. Review of Educational Research, 77(3), 373–410. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430305567.
Pomerantz, E. M., Ng, F. F. Y., & Wang, Q. (2006). Mothers’ mastery-oriented involvement in children’s homework: Implications for the well-being of children with negative perceptions of competence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 99–111. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.98.1.99.
Pomerantz, E. M., Wang, Q., & Ng, F. (2005). The role of children’s competence experiences in the socialization process: A dynamic process framework for the academic arena. In R. V. Kail (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior., Vol. 33. (pp. 193–227). Elsevier Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2407(05)80008-4
Poteat, V. P., Watson, R. J., & Fish, J. N. (2021). Teacher support moderates associations among sexual orientation identity outness, victimization, and academic performance among LGBQ+ youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50, 1634–1648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01455-7.
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879–891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879.
Putnick, D. L., Bornstein, M. H., Lansford, J. E., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., Di Giunta, L., Dodge, K. A., Malone, P. S., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Tapanya, S., Uribe Tirado, L. M., Zelli, A., Alampay, L. P., Al-Hassan, S. M., Bacchini, D., & Bombi, A. S. (2018). Parental acceptance-rejection and child prosocial behavior: Developmental transactions across the transition to adolescence in nine countries, mothers and fathers, and girls and boys. Developmental Psychology, 54(10), 1881–1890. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000565.
Qu, Y., Pomerantz, E. M., & Deng, C. (2016). Mothers’ goals for adolescents in the United States and China: Content and transmission. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 26(1), 126–141. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12176.
Raval, V. V., Li, X., Deo, N., & Hu, J. (2018). Reports of maternal socialization goals, emotion socialization behaviors, and child functioning in China and India. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(1), 81–91. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000336.
Rohner, R. P., & Khaleque, A. (2005). Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ): Test manual. In R. P. Rohner & A. Khaleque (Eds.), Handbook for the study of parental acceptance and rejection (4th ed., pp. 43–106). Storrs: Rohner Research Publications.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68.
Schlomer, G. L., Bauman, S., & Card, N. A. (2010). Best practices for missing data management in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018082.
Shek, D. T., Yu, L., & Fu, X. (2013). Confucian virtues and Chinese adolescent development: A conceptual review. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 25(4), 335–344. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2013-0031.
Silke, C., Brady, B., Boylan, C., & Dolan, P. (2018). Factors influencing the development of empathy and pro-social behaviour among adolescents: A systematic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 94, 421–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.07.027.
Tamis‐LeMonda, C. S., Way, N., Hughes, D., Yoshikawa, H., Kalman, R. K., & Niwa, E. Y. (2008). Parents’ goals for children: The dynamic coexistence of individualism and collectivism in cultures and individuals. Social Development, 17(1), 183–209. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00419.x.
Van der Graaff, J., Carlo, G., Crocetti, E., Koot, H. M., & Branje, S. (2018). Prosocial behavior in adolescence: Gender differences in development and links with empathy. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(5), 1086–1099. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0786-1.
Wang, Q., Pomerantz, E. M., & Chen, H. (2007). The role of parents’ control in early adolescents’ psychological functioning: A longitudinal investigation in the United States and China. Child Development, 78(5), 1592–1610. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01085.x.
Wentzel, K. R. (2014). Prosocial behavior and peer relations in adolescence. In L. M. Padilla-Walker & G. Carlo (Eds.), Prosocial development: A multidimensional approach. (pp. 178–200). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199964772.003.0009.
Yazdani, S., & Daryei, G. (2016). Parenting styles and psychosocial adjustment of gifted and normal adolescents. Pacific Science Review B: Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(3), 100–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psrb.2016.09.019.
Zhou, Z., Li, M., Wu, J., & Li, X. (2021). Differential associations between parents’ versus children’s perceptions of parental socialization goals and Chinese adolescent depressive symptoms. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 681940 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.681940.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the families participating in this study.
Authors’ Contributions
Z.Z. performed data collection, developed the hypotheses, performed the statistical analyses, interpreted the results, and drafted the manuscript; Y.Q. participated in the study design, developed the hypotheses, oversaw the data analysis, interpreted the results, and revised the manuscript; X.L. participated in the study design, and performed data collection. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding
This study is supported by the research fund of the School of Social Development and Public Policy at Fudan University and the research fund of “Research Project on Adolescent Development” to X. L.
Data Sharing and DeclarationThe datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed Consent
Informed consents were obtained from all participants included in the study.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
These authors contributed equally: Zexi Zhou, Yang Qu
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhou, Z., Qu, Y. & Li, X. Parental Collectivism Goals and Chinese Adolescents’ Prosocial Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Authoritative Parenting. J Youth Adolescence 51, 766–779 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01579-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01579-4