Browsing by Author "Gerbino, Maria"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    A Cross-National Study on Prosocial Behaviors in Emerging Adulthood During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    (2025) Meegen, Marije M. E. van; Graaff, Jolien Van der; Branje, Susan; Padilla Walker, Laura ; Carlo, Gustavo ; Berger Silva, Christian; Carrizales, Alexia; Garandeau, Claire. F. ; Gerbino, Maria; Gulseven, Zehra; Hawk, Skyler T.; Kumru, Asiye ; Llorca Mestre, Anna; Richaud, María Cristina ; Shen, Yuh-Ling ; Taylor, Laura K. ; Žukauskienė, Rita ; Zalk, Maarten van
    Emerging adulthood is marked by changes and exploration of life directions and is significantly impacted by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-national study examined the psychological, relational, and contextual factors associated with prosocial behaviors— adherence to COVID-19 measures and helping strangers—among emerging adults (ages 18–25) from 14 countries during the pandemic. We assessed empathy, social identification with those affected by COVID-19, family and friend support, and perceived pandemic-related burden while exploring the moderating effects of country-level restrictions and cultural values. Results showed that empathy and social identification were consistently linked to adherence and helping behaviors, with stronger associations observed in countries with moderate to high COVID-19 restrictions. The findings highlighted the complex role of empathy and social identity in fostering prosocial behavior under varying cultural contexts andsuggested pathways for enhancing community resilience during global crises.
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    Adolescents' Prosocial Behavior Predicts Good Grades Beyond Intelligence and Personality Traits
    (2018) Gerbino, Maria; Zuffiano, Antonio; Eisenberg, Nancy; Castellani, Valeria; Luengo Kanacri, Bernadette Paula; Pastorelli, Concetta; Caprara, Gian Vitorio
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    Emerging adults' cultural values, prosocial behaviors, and mental health in 14 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (2022) Padilla-Walker, Laura M.; Van der Graaff, Jolien; Workman, Katey; Carlo, Gustavo; Branje, Susan; Carrizales, Alexia; Gerbino, Maria; Gulseven, Zehra; Hawk, Skyler T.; Luengo Kanacri, Paula; Mesurado, Belen; Samper-Garcia, Paula; Shen, Yuh-Ling; Taylor, Laura K.; Trach, Jessica; van Zalk, Maarten H. W.; Zukauskiene, Rita
    Evidence suggests an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, particularly among emerging adults. However, theories on altruism born of suffering or adversarial growth suggest that we might also see prosocial behavior as a function of the pandemic, which may protect against mental health challenges. Because cultural values are central in determining prosocial behavior, the current study explored how cultural values were differentially associated with adaptive prosocial behaviors that might protect against mental health challenges. Participants for the current study included 5,682 young people aged 18-25 years from 14 different countries around the world (68% female, 62% college students). Path analyses suggested that there were few differences in patterns as a function of culture, but revealed that horizontal individualism and horizontal and vertical collectivism were indirectly associated with lower levels of depression via prosocial behavior toward family members. Discussion focuses on the importance of coping by strengthening family relationships via prosocial behavior during the pandemic.
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    Promoting prosocial behaviour among Colombian adolescents: the evaluation of a universal school-based program using a multi-informant perspective
    (2022) Cirimele, Flavia; Gomez Plata, Maryluz; Zuffiano, Antonio; Gerbino, Maria; Uribe Tirado, Liliana Maria; Tamayo Giraldo, Gonzalo; Paba Barbosa, Carmelina; Marin Londono, Beatriz; Narvaez Marin, Mariela; Ruiz Garcia, Marcela; Thartori, Eriona; Luengo Kanacri, Bernadette Paula; Pastorelli, Concetta
    The present study evaluated the efficacy of an Italian school-based intervention programme adapted in three Colombian sites (Medellin, Manizales, and Santa Marta) in promoting prosocial behaviour among adolescents. Using a pre-test-post-test design with a multi-informant approach, the present study assessed 451 students (M-age = 12.77, SD = 1.06) of the intervention group and 428 students (M-age = 12.64, SD = 1.01) by using self-report and peer rating measures of prosocial behaviour. After establishing the measurement invariance across time and informants, a latent difference score model showed the positive effect of the intervention programme in improving prosocial behaviour evaluated by peers (Cohen's d = .379) among Colombian adolescents, across all three sites. Implications of the study will be discussed.
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    Why and How to Promote Adolescents' Prosocial Behaviors: Direct, Mediated and Moderated Effects of the CEPIDEA School-Based Program
    (2015) Caprara, Gian Vittorio; Luengo Kanacri, Bernadette Paula; Zuffiano, Antonio; Gerbino, Maria; Pastorelli, Concetta
    Prosocial behaviors are considered integral to intervention goals that seek to promote successful youth development. This study examines the effect of a school-based intervention program entirely designed to promote prosocial behaviors called Promoting Prosocial and Emotional Skills to Counteract Externalizing Problems in Adolescence (Italian acronym CEPIDEA). The CEPIDEA curriculum was incorporated into routine educational practices and included five major components that reflect the personal determinants of prosocial behavior during adolescence. The present study assessed 151 students (48.7 % female; M (age) = 12.4) of the intervention school and 140 students (51.2 % female; M (age) = 13.0) of the control school at three points. A multi-group latent curve analysis revealed that the intervention group, compared with the control group, showed an increase in prosocial behavior, interpersonal self-efficacy beliefs, and agreeableness along with a decrease in physical aggression above and beyond the normative developmental trend of the these variables. Participants of the intervention also obtained higher grades than the control group at the end of middle school. Moderation effects for prosocial behavior and agreeableness evidenced that those who benefited most from the intervention were those adolescents with lower normative development of prosocial behavior, low initial level of agreeableness, and high initial level of physical aggression. The results also showed that the increase of prosocial behaviors mediated the decline of verbal aggression in adolescents who had attended the intervention. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at promoting prosocial behaviors while having the potential to support positive outcomes may also counteract or redirect negative trajectories of functioning.