Temperament and Prosocial Behaviour: Analysis of Interactions in Preschool Children

Temperament, defined as individual differences in emotional reactivity and self-regulation (Rothbart & Bates, 2006), can either facilitate or hinder the emergence of prosocial behavior (PSB), voluntary actions aimed at benefiting others (Eisenberg et al., 2015). In particular, effortful control is associated with more empathic behavior (Eisenberg et al., 2006), whereas negative affectivity is related to fewer empathic responses (Spinrad & Stifter, 2006). Given the importance of PSB for children’s socio-emotional well-being and adjustment, especially during the preschool years, it is essential to identify specific temperament traits that may support or undermine it (Orban et al., 2025). This understanding may inform early interventions focused on strengthening emotional and attentional regulation in children who show temperamental difficulties, ultimately fostering more adaptive social functioning. This study aims to: 1. Identify temperamental profiles in preschool-aged children. 2. Examine the relationship between profiles and prosocial behavior. Method: A total of 114 parents (85.1% mothers, 12.3% fathers, 2.6% non-specified) of children aged between 32 and 71 months (M = 56 months; SD = 8.1) participated. Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire – Very Short Form (CBQ-VSF). Temperamental profiles were identified based on the CBQ-VSF questionnaire, using cluster analysis with Ward’s method. The resulting groups significantly differed from one another on temperamental dimensions, as confirmed by ANOVAs. Prosocial behavior measured through SDQ was subsequently used to compare the identified profiles. Results: Four temperamental profiles emerged: Profile A, where PB is M=6.23, has high impulsivity and low inhibitory control; Profile B (PB, M=7.36) has high emotional sensitivity and good inhibitory control; Profile C (PB, M=7.40) has high perceptual sensitivity and focused attention; Profile D (PB, M=7.81) has low levels of anger, fear, and impulsivity with strong inhibitory control. Children in Profile D showed the higher PB, likely due to better emotion regulation and lower negative emotionality (Memba & Ostrov, 2023). Additionally, a significant gender difference was observed for shyness (p < .01), with higher scores in females (M = 11.09; SD = 4.82) compared to males (M = 9.07; SD = 4.11). Although children in Profile D showed the highest mean levels of prosocial behavior, statistically significant differences emerged only when compared with Profiles A. No significant differences were found between Profile D and the other high-scoring profiles. These findings suggest that children in Profile A, who exhibit low effortful control, tend to display lower prosocial behavior. In contrast, children in Profile D, who exhibit low levels of negative affectivity, report higher PBS, possibly reflecting greater emotional regulation (Vecchio et al., 2023). Specific configurations of temperamental traits, particularly those reflecting low negative emotionality and high regulatory capacities, are associated with higher levels of prosocial behavior in preschoolers. This highlights the relevance of early identification of temperamental profiles that may support or hinder social adjustment, potentially informing future work on personalized strategies to promote prosocial development.