Cognitive Reappraisal and Need to Belong Predict Prosociality in Mexican-Origin Adolescents

Abstract

This two-year longitudinal study examined Mexican-origin adolescents' need to belong and cognitive reappraisal as predictors of multiple forms of prosocial behavior (i.e., general, emotional, and public prosocial behaviors). Prosocial behaviors, which are actions intended to benefit others, are hallmarks of social proficiency in adolescence and are influenced by intrapersonal abilities and motivations that typically develop during adolescence. Yet, few studies of Mexican-origin or other U.S. Latinx youths have examined whether such individual difference characteristics, specifically social motivation and emotion regulation skills, support prosocial behavior. In a sample of 229 Mexican-origin youth (M_age = 17.18 years, SD = 0.42, 110 girls), need to belong, cognitive reappraisal, and general prosocial behaviors were assessed at ages 17 and 19. Emotional and public forms of prosociality also were assessed at age 19. Cognitive reappraisal was positively associated with concurrent general prosociality at age 17, whereas need to belong was positively associated with concurrent public prosociality at age 19. Moderation analyses revealed that general and emotional types of prosocial behaviors at age 19 were lowest for youth with both lower need to belong and less use of cognitive reappraisal at 19 years. Greater cognitive reappraisal skills and need to belong may reflect distinct motivations for engaging in varying forms of prosocial behavior in late adolescence.

Keywords: Mexican-origin; adolescence; cognitive reappraisal; need to belong; prosocial behavior.

Figure 1.

Prediction of general prosocial behaviors by need to belong and cognitive reappraisal at age 17 and 19 years. Structural equation model including significant paths with standardized path coefficients (standard error in parenthesis). Note: Covariates included age, gender, and depression recruitment status; paths for covariates are not presented for clarity of the figure. N = 229. * p < .05, ** p<.01, and *** p <.001.

Figure 2.

Simple slopes of the age 19 concurrent associations of need to belong in relation to general prosocial behaviors for those with low (1 SD below the mean; β = .22, p < .01) and high (1 SD above the mean; β = −.01, p = .81) levels of cognitive reappraisal.

Figure 3.

Prediction of emotional and public prosocial behaviors at 19 years from need to belong and cognitive reappraisal at 17 and 19 years. Structural equation model including significant paths with standardized path coefficients (standard error in parenthesis). Note: Covariates included age, gender, and depression recruitment status; paths for covariates are not presented for clarity of the figure. N = 229. * p < .05, ** p < .01, and *** p <.001.

Figure 4.

Simple slopes of need to belong predicting emotional prosocial behaviors at 19 years at 1 SD below the mean of cognitive reappraisal (β = .58, p < .001) and 1 SD above the mean of cognitive reappraisal (β = .03, p = .80). N = 150.