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Cited by 7Attachment and Relationship DynamicsChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentBullying, Victimization, and Aggression

Adolescents’ responses to the distress of others: The influence of multiple attachment figures via empathic concern

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Profe, Wade B., Wild, Lauren G., Tredoux, Colin·2021·Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
DOI 10.1177/02654075211000433
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Abstract

Attachment theory provides an informative theoretical description of how prosocial behaviors in response to the distress of others may be socialized. This study aimed to investigate associations between attachment security to mothers, fathers, closest grandparents and peers, and young adolescents’ (a) prosocial responses to others’ distress and (b) global prosocial behaviors, via the mediation of empathic concern. Cross-sectional survey data were obtained from 520 adolescents (aged 11–14) from nine schools in Cape Town, South Africa. Structural equation modeling revealed that a model in which all paths from the attachment variables were routed through empathic concern was superior to a model which proposed only direct effects of attachment on prosocial behavior. Peer and grandparent attachment were significantly associated, through empathic concern, with self-reported helping in response to others’ distress. For teacher-reported global prosocial behavior, the indirect effects of peer and grandparent attachment failed to reach significance. The results provide theoretical insight into the association between secure attachments and prosocial behavior, and highlight the importance of relationships with friends and grandparents in early adolescence.

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Authors
Profe, W. B., Wild, L. G., & Tredoux, C.
Affiliations
University of Cape Town (ZA)
Corresponding author
Wild, Lauren G.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2021-03-17
Volume
38
Issue
5
Pages
1671-1691
ISSN
  • 0265-4075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-3608
DOI
10.1177/02654075211000433
OpenAlex
W2580546728
Cited by
7
References
181
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2
FWCI
0.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (publishedVersion)
  • Open University of Cape Town (University of Cape Town) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
Keywords
attachment security, empathic concern, prosocial behavior, helping behavior, adolescents, peer attachment, maternal attachment, paternal attachment, mediation, early adolescence

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