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Sharing, Comforting, and Helping in Middle Childhood: An Explorative Multimethod Study

Author

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  • Edoardo Saija

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Susanna Pallini

    (University of Roma Tre)

  • Roberto Baiocco

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Jessica Pistella

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Salvatore Ioverno

    (University of Roma Tre)

Abstract

Previous studies focusing on prosocial strategies used by school-aged children often relied on laboratory methodologies. This research examines children’s responses to their peers’ experiences of sadness, exploring their real-life narratives using a mixed-method approach. Four hundred forty-five children (age range: 7–10; Mage = 8.89; SDage = 1.07; 53.9% female) were asked in class to write about an event in which a peer experienced sadness and how they behaved in response to such event (prosocial strategies). In addition, children were asked to rate the intensity of their sadness reaction and their levels of prosociality and empathy using self-report scales. This mixed-method approach allowed the combination of quantitative and qualitative information. Using thematic analysis, prosocial strategies were categorized into comforting, helping, sharing, and inaction; sad events were classified into relational issues, accidents/illness, frustrations, losses/difficult events, and non-identified. A MANCOVA was used to explore differences in sadness intensity, empathy, prosocial motivation across children using different prosocial strategies. Multinomial regression models were used to assess whether the use of specific prosocial strategies was linked to particular types of sad events, as well as to different levels of empathy and prosocial motivation. Children reported comforting as their most strategy for all events except accidents/illness. Although sharing was less frequently used, it emerged as the most used strategy in relational issues events. Helping was more prevalent during accidents/illness and relational issues events. Younger children were more likely not to adopt any prosocial behavior compared to their older, more empathic, and prosocial counterparts. These findings underscore the significance of sadness as a trigger for prosocial behaviors and the importance of recognizing context-specific prosocial strategies to foster social-emotional competence in children.

Suggested Citation

  • Edoardo Saija & Susanna Pallini & Roberto Baiocco & Jessica Pistella & Salvatore Ioverno, 2025. "Sharing, Comforting, and Helping in Middle Childhood: An Explorative Multimethod Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 18(1), pages 401-421, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:18:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10198-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10198-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jason M Cowell & Anya Samek & John List & Jean Decety, 2015. "The Curious Relation between Theory of Mind and Sharing in Preschool Age Children," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(2), pages 1-8, February.
    2. Flavia Izzo & Edoardo Saija & Susanna Pallini & Salvatore Ioverno & Roberto Baiocco & Jessica Pistella, 2024. "Happy Moments between Children and Their Parents: A Multi-method and Multi-informant Perspective," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 1-28, March.
    3. Mark Holder & Ben Coleman, 2009. "The Contribution of Social Relationships to Children’s Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 329-349, June.
    4. Al-Thani, Tamader & Semmar, Yassir, 2017. "An exploratory study of teachers’ perceptions of prosocial behaviors in preschool children," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 145-150.
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