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. 2021 Dec;31(4):1188-1201.
doi: 10.1111/jora.12629. Epub 2021 May 26.

Family Assistance Spills Over Into Prosocial Behaviors Toward Friends and Positive Academic Behaviors

Emma Armstrong-Carter  1 , Eva H Telzer  2
Affiliations

Family Assistance Spills Over Into Prosocial Behaviors Toward Friends and Positive Academic Behaviors

Emma Armstrong-Carter et al. J Res Adolesc. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

We investigate how daily family assistance predicts prosocial behaviors toward friends and positive academic behavior. Adolescents (N = 375, 57% girls, Mage = 14.57) completed diary checklists for 14 days, reporting whether they provided instrumental assistance or emotional support to family and friends, and their positive academic behaviors (e.g., studied). When adolescents provided emotional support to family, they were more likely to provide instrumental support to friends the next day. When adolescents provided emotional support to family, they were more likely to also provide emotional support to friends the next day, and vice versa (a bidirectional association). When adolescents provided instrumental support to the family, they were more likely to have at least one positive academic experience the next day.

Keywords: academic; family assistance; prosocial behavior; school.

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