The Role of Teacher–Student Closeness in the Relationship Between Prosocial Behavior and Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study in Lower Secondary Schools

Introduction The association between prosocial behavior and academic achievement in adolescence is well established. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain largely unexplored. According to Social Cognitive Theory, human behavior develops through the reciprocal interaction of personal, behavioral, and environmental factors, with social relationships playing a central role. From this perspective, prosocial behavior may foster more positive and supportive relationships with teachers, which in turn can promote higher academic outcomes. Thus, Teacher–Student Closeness (TSC) may act as a potential mediator linking prosocial behavior to academic achievement. Objectives This longitudinal study aims to examine whether TSC mediates the relationship between prosocial behavior and academic achievement in a sample of early adolescents from Trento and Rome. Method The sample consisted of 314 lower secondary school students (M age = 12.28; SD = 0.83; 51.9% female), assessed at two time points (five months apart) during the 2024–2025 school year. Prosocial behavior and TSC were measured using self-report questionnaires, whereas academic achievement was obtained from teachers’ evaluations. Longitudinal data were analyzed using a series of Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Panel Models (ACLPMs) with latent variables. The significance of the indirect effect was tested while controlling for sex assigned at birth, age, and family cultural capital, and using 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (95% BCCI) based on 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Results Findings showed that (a) prosocial behavior at T1 predicted an increase in TSC at T2 (β = .115, p = .014); (b) TSC at T1 positively predicted academic achievement at T2 (β = .223, p < .001); (c) the longitudinal mediation was significant (estimate = 0.074, 95% BCCI [0.004, 0.144]); and (d) no direct effect emerged between prosocial behavior and academic achievement. Implications These findings indicate that prosocial behavior may influence academic performance through students perceived closeness with teachers. Consistent with Social Cognitive Theory, the study highlights how relational environments represent key contextual factors that can support school engagement and academic success. Educational interventions aimed at enhancing prosocial and relational skills may therefore foster higher-quality teacher–student relationships and promote better academic outcomes.