Influences of Temperament, Parents, and Friends on Prosocial Behaviors and Conduct Problems in Middle Childhood: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis

Author

Riley Marshall, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

12-1-2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Habib, Reza

Abstract

Prosocial behaviors and a lack of conduct problems are critical components of social competence in middle childhood. A host of biological factors (e.g., temperament) and social relationships (e.g., relationships with parents and friends) are predictive of both prosocial behaviors and conduct problems during this period. However, the genetic and environmental underpinnings of these associations are not known. Additionally, temperament may interact with parent and friend influences to predict prosocial behaviors and conduct problems such that such that children with more reactive temperaments are more susceptible to both positive and negative relationship experiences. The purpose of the current study was to examine effects of temperament, perceived parenting, and perceived best friend characteristics on prosocial behaviors and conduct problems in middle childhood. The three aims were to 1) examine temperamental, perceived parenting, and perceived best friend behavioral predictors of prosocial behaviors and conduct problems, 2) examine the genetic and environmental underpinnings of those associations, and 3) examine interactions between the genetic likelihood for temperamental reactivity and social relationships as predictors of prosocial behaviors and conduct problems. The sample included 111 twin pairs (n = 221) who completed measures of prosocial behaviors and conduct problems as well as their perceptions of the parenting that they received and their perceptions of the behaviors of one best friend. One parent of each twin set also completed questionnaires about the twins’ prosocial behaviors, conduct problems, and temperaments. Broadly, results showed that temperament, perceived parenting, and best friend behaviors were related to child behaviors through both genetic and environmental mechanisms. Additionally, two gene-environment interactions were found. Specifically, the interaction between the genetic likelihood for temperamental surgency/extraversion and parental psychological control predicted self-reported conduct problems, and the interaction between the genetic likelihood for temperamental negative affectivity and best friends’ prosocial behaviors predicted self-reported prosocial behaviors. These results suggest that the etiologies of prosocial behaviors and conduct problems are complex and involve biological and social factors, as well as interactions between them.