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. 2023 Mar 27:14:1134826.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1134826. eCollection 2023.

The moderating role of spirituality and gender in Canadian and Iranian emerging adolescents' theory of mind and prosocial behavior

Nadia Khalili  1 , Sandra Bosacki  2 , Victoria Talwar  1
Affiliations

The moderating role of spirituality and gender in Canadian and Iranian emerging adolescents' theory of mind and prosocial behavior

Nadia Khalili et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Introduction: While research has found a link between ToM and prosociality in terms of caring and helping others which may also vary across cultures, the moderating role of spirituality and culture of this association in emerging adolescence has received little attention.

Methods: The current study empirically "examined" the role of spirituality and gender in relation to ToM and prosocial behavior in Canadian and Iranian emerging adolescents. A total of 300 (153 girls) emerging adolescents (M = 11.502, SD = 2.228) were recruited from Montreal, Canada and Karaj, Iran. A series of double moderation analysis and ANOVA was conducted.

Results and discussion: Results indicated the difference between direct and indirect influences of ToM and its interactions with culture, gender, and spirituality on prosocial behavior. This implies an emerging complex framework which suggests the dynamic nonlinear interactions between these factors. Implications for youth's social-emotional understanding will be discussed.

Keywords: culture; gender; prosociality; spirituality; theory of mind.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Moderating role of existential well-being and gender in the relationship between ToM and prosociality.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Moderating role of duality and gender in the relationship between ToM and prosociality.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Moderating role of gender and culture in the relationship between ToM and prosociality.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Moderating role of duality and culture in the relationship between ToM and prosociality.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Moderating role of existential well-being and culture in the relationship between ToM and prosociality.
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