The transition from adolescence to adulthood involves significant challenges, such as entering the workforce, achieving financial independence, and forming stable romantic relationships. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the factors that, in the face of these daily challenges, may serve a protective function for young adults' psychological well-being, which encompasses fundamental aspects necessary for positive individual functioning, such as a sense of purpose and connection with others (Ryff, 1989). Research has shown that engaging in prosocial behavior, which involves intentionally helping others without expecting anything in return (Eisenberg et al., 2006), can enhance psychological well-being by fulfilling relational needs and fostering positive affect (King & Hicks, 2021). However, studies examining this relationship on a daily basis are lacking. Using daily diaries over a 21-day period, this study aims to investigate how prosocial behavior contributes to daily psychological well-being, considering both between-person differences and within-person fluctuations, while controlling for gender, age, and daily negative life events. The study involved 178 young Italian adults (40% men, 60% women), aged 19-35 years (M = 25.49, SD = 3.52). At the between-person level, those who reported more prosocial behaviors across the 21 days also experienced higher psychological well-being (β = 0.21; p < .002). At the within-person level, on days when participants behaved more prosocially than usual, they reported greater well-being compared to their average across the study period (β = 0.25; p < .001). These findings remained significant even after accounting for gender, age, and daily negative life events. These results highlight that helping others daily makes young adults feel more satisfied, authentic, and able to build meaningful relationships, despite life's challenges. In practical terms, the study suggests that promoting interventions aimed at increasing prosocial behaviors (e.g., volunteering, awareness campaigns, support groups) could enhance young adults' psychological well-being on a daily basis.
The relation between prosocial behavior and psychological well-being: an intensive longitudinal study / Di Brango, Noemi; Manfredi, Lucia; Beolchini, Elisabetta; Fu, Yuanhang; Contreras, Camila; Emanuela Palladino, Benedetta. - (2025). ( European Developmental Psychology Conference Vilnius, Lithuania ).
The relation between prosocial behavior and psychological well-being: an intensive longitudinal study
Noemi Di Brango;Lucia Manfredi;Elisabetta Beolchini;Yuanhang Fu;Camila Contreras;
2025
Abstract
The transition from adolescence to adulthood involves significant challenges, such as entering the workforce, achieving financial independence, and forming stable romantic relationships. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the factors that, in the face of these daily challenges, may serve a protective function for young adults' psychological well-being, which encompasses fundamental aspects necessary for positive individual functioning, such as a sense of purpose and connection with others (Ryff, 1989). Research has shown that engaging in prosocial behavior, which involves intentionally helping others without expecting anything in return (Eisenberg et al., 2006), can enhance psychological well-being by fulfilling relational needs and fostering positive affect (King & Hicks, 2021). However, studies examining this relationship on a daily basis are lacking. Using daily diaries over a 21-day period, this study aims to investigate how prosocial behavior contributes to daily psychological well-being, considering both between-person differences and within-person fluctuations, while controlling for gender, age, and daily negative life events. The study involved 178 young Italian adults (40% men, 60% women), aged 19-35 years (M = 25.49, SD = 3.52). At the between-person level, those who reported more prosocial behaviors across the 21 days also experienced higher psychological well-being (β = 0.21; p < .002). At the within-person level, on days when participants behaved more prosocially than usual, they reported greater well-being compared to their average across the study period (β = 0.25; p < .001). These findings remained significant even after accounting for gender, age, and daily negative life events. These results highlight that helping others daily makes young adults feel more satisfied, authentic, and able to build meaningful relationships, despite life's challenges. In practical terms, the study suggests that promoting interventions aimed at increasing prosocial behaviors (e.g., volunteering, awareness campaigns, support groups) could enhance young adults' psychological well-being on a daily basis.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
