Longitudinal Relation between Childhood Maltreatment and Prosocial Behaviors: The Parallel Mediators of Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness

Shiyin Wang, Xingchao Wang and Ziqiang Xin ()
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Shiyin Wang: Renmin University of China, Department of Psychology
Xingchao Wang: Shanxi University, School of Educational Science
Ziqiang Xin: Renmin University of China, Department of Psychology

Applied Research in Quality of Life, 2025, vol. 20, issue 5, No 8, 1975-1989

Abstract: Abstract Childhood maltreatment is detrimental to adolescents’ psychological and behavioral outcomes, including prosocial behaviors. However, few studies have employed a longitudinal design to examine the relation between childhood maltreatment and adolescents’ prosocial behavior, Leaving the underlying mediating mechanisms from interpersonal-psychological constructs largely unexplored. Guided by attachment theory and conservation of resources theory, the current study aimed to investigate the relation between childhood maltreatment and prosocial behavior, and explore the mediating role of interpersonal needs, including thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. A total of 2,407 Chinese adolescents (50.23% girl, Mage = 12.75, SD = 0.58 at baseline) from seven schools participated this study across three waves of data collection at one-year intervals. The parallel mediation model was employed to explore the longitudinal relation between childhood maltreatment at T1 and prosocial behavior at T3, and test the longitudinal mediator roles of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness at T2. After controlling age, sex, family socioeconomic status, and prior prosocial behaviors, the findings revealed that childhood maltreatment at T1 was negatively predicted prosocial behaviors at T3. Moreover, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness at T2 played completely parallel mediating roles between childhood maltreatment at T1 and prosocial behaviors at T3.

Keywords: Childhood maltreatment; Thwarted belongingness; Perceived burdensomeness; Prosocial behaviors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11482-025-10504-3

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