Emotional regulation is an important precondition for the development of children's empathy (Eisenberg et al., 2007, 1996). Furthermore, research evidenced that emotion regulation predicts student prosocial behavior, both directly and through the mediation of empathy towards classmates (e.g. Benita, Levkovitz, & Roth, 2017). However, it may be of interest to analyse if the relationship between emotion regulation and prosocial behavior is comparable with the association between emotion regulation and student aggressive behavior, and if the empathy both for the prosocial behaviour and aggressive behaviour play a role of mediation. Consequently, the aim of the study is to investigate he mediational role of empathy in the relationship between emotion regulation and prosocial and aggressive behaviour. Thirteen Italian teachers rated two hundred–and-thirty-seven elementary school children (45,1 % females, Mean age = 8.75 years, SD= 0,69) for empathy and emotion regulation, whereas both teachers and children rated children’s prosocial and aggressive behaviour using the Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields & Cicchetti, 1997), the Empathy Scale (Zhou, Valiente, & Eisenberg, 2003) and the Prosocial and aggressive behaviour (Caprara & Pastorelli, 1993). For examining the above mentioned relationships among the constructs, structural-equation modeling was used (Mplus version 8.1: Muthén & Muthén, 2017). The fit indices indicated good model fit: χ2 = 652.40, p<.001, RMSEA=0.11 (.07 - .15), CFI=.96, TLI=.90, SRMR=.07. The results of structural equation modeling showed emotion regulation predicts student prosocial behavior, weakly directly, and strongly through the mediation of empathy towards classmates, whereas emotion lability predicts student aggressive behavior, strongly directly and weakly through the mediation of empathy. Results suggest that the promotion of empathy is a more crucial aspect for increasing prosocial behaviour than for decreasing aggressive behavior. However, programs that foster both emotion regulation and empathy are useful for encouraging in children prosocial behaviours and decreasing aggressive behaviors.
Vecchio, G.M., Pallini, S., Perucchini, P., Cattellino, E., Barcaccia, B. (2019). Prosocial and aggressive behaviour in elementary school: the contribution of emotion regulation and empathy. In European Conference on Developmental Psychology Abstract Book (pp.679-679).
Prosocial and aggressive behaviour in elementary school: the contribution of emotion regulation and empathy
Vecchio G. M.;Pallini S.;Perucchini P.;Barcaccia B.
2019-01-01
Abstract
Emotional regulation is an important precondition for the development of children's empathy (Eisenberg et al., 2007, 1996). Furthermore, research evidenced that emotion regulation predicts student prosocial behavior, both directly and through the mediation of empathy towards classmates (e.g. Benita, Levkovitz, & Roth, 2017). However, it may be of interest to analyse if the relationship between emotion regulation and prosocial behavior is comparable with the association between emotion regulation and student aggressive behavior, and if the empathy both for the prosocial behaviour and aggressive behaviour play a role of mediation. Consequently, the aim of the study is to investigate he mediational role of empathy in the relationship between emotion regulation and prosocial and aggressive behaviour. Thirteen Italian teachers rated two hundred–and-thirty-seven elementary school children (45,1 % females, Mean age = 8.75 years, SD= 0,69) for empathy and emotion regulation, whereas both teachers and children rated children’s prosocial and aggressive behaviour using the Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields & Cicchetti, 1997), the Empathy Scale (Zhou, Valiente, & Eisenberg, 2003) and the Prosocial and aggressive behaviour (Caprara & Pastorelli, 1993). For examining the above mentioned relationships among the constructs, structural-equation modeling was used (Mplus version 8.1: Muthén & Muthén, 2017). The fit indices indicated good model fit: χ2 = 652.40, p<.001, RMSEA=0.11 (.07 - .15), CFI=.96, TLI=.90, SRMR=.07. The results of structural equation modeling showed emotion regulation predicts student prosocial behavior, weakly directly, and strongly through the mediation of empathy towards classmates, whereas emotion lability predicts student aggressive behavior, strongly directly and weakly through the mediation of empathy. Results suggest that the promotion of empathy is a more crucial aspect for increasing prosocial behaviour than for decreasing aggressive behavior. However, programs that foster both emotion regulation and empathy are useful for encouraging in children prosocial behaviours and decreasing aggressive behaviors.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
