Samenhang Tussen Conflicten in de Partnerrelatie van Ouders en de Ontwikkeling van Prosociaal Gedrag bij Adolescenten.

Abstract

Prosocial behavior has positive effects on the well-being of adolescents. There are conflicting results on how prosocial behavior develops and what might influence this development. Therefore, this 6-year longitudinal study examines the development of prosocial behavior and the influence of parental conflict resolution style on this behavior. The conflict resolution style of parents may influence the development of prosocial behavior (Barthassat, 2014; McCoy et al., 2009). This development seems to be different for boys and girls (Van der Graaff et al., 2018). Also, the conflict resolution style of parents seems to have a different effect on boys and girls (López-Larrosa et al., 2019). The study involved 343 Dutch adolescents (Mage = 12.99, SD = 0.43) and both of their parents. Adolescents provided information on the degree of prosocial behavior. Parents provided information about their conflict resolution style. The study revealed that adolescents show an increase in prosocial behavior between the ages of 13 and 17. From the age of 17 onwards, there is a decrease in prosocial behavior. The degree of constructive or non-constructive conflict resolution style by parents has no influence on this decrease. Although girls show more prosocial behavior than boys, the development of prosocial behavior does not differ for boys and girls. There is no correlation between conflict resolution style in the parental relationship and the development of prosocial behavior in adolescents, and this result does not differ for boys and girls.