How Is Happiness Related to Prosocial Tendencies Among Adolescents From High/Low Household Income Groups? The Protective Mechanism of Social Functioning

Abstract

Literature reveals that people who feel happy are more inclined to demonstrate prosocial behaviour. Considering the development of social functioning during adolescence, this study aims to investigate the psychological mechanism underlying the relationship between happiness and prosocial tendencies among adolescents with high- and low-income from a perspective of social functioning (i.e., peer trust and social competence). A sample of 2042 Chinese adolescents (1039 girls, Mage = 15.00, SD = 1.85) were surveyed. Results indicated that peer trust mediated the positive association between happiness and prosocial tendencies, and the second-stage path was weaker in the low-income group. The latent moderated structural equation (LMS) modelling revealed that self-perceived social competence moderated the relation between peer trust and prosocial tendencies among low-income adolescents, with stronger effects among those who have higher competence. These findings add to the evidence on the contributing factors to adolescents' prosociality and reveal how social functioning acts across high- and low-income groups. As for practical application, this study highlights the importance of happiness and social functioning in the education of prosociality among adolescents, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.