Social support and resilience to foster prosocial behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic confinement: an explanatory model (Apoyo social y resiliencia para fomentar las conductas prosociales durante el confinamiento por la COVID-19: un modelo explicativo)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The containment measures taken because of the COVID-19 pandemic have had consequences on human thought and behaviour. The purpose of this study is to contrast an explanatory model of prosocial behaviours during confinement by analysing different variables involved. The study sample was made up of 946 participants (70.9% female) and had an average age of 35.25 (SD = 13.98). Participants completed a series of online questionnaires. The results show that social support is a predictor of prosocial behaviours and resilience is a mediator in this relationship; living with others is a protective factor for social support; not working during confinement is a predictor for prosocial behaviours; and being female is a predictor of social support and prosocial behaviours. The proposed model explains 33% of the variance in prosocial behaviours and showed an optimal fit (χ2/gl = 1.68; CFI = .990; GFI = .985; RMSEA = .027). The results explain certain underlying mechanisms of prosociality in difficult times and reflect certain characteristics of the people most vulnerable to the consequences of confinement.