The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy in the Relationship Between Psychological Birth Order and Family Atmosphere with Prosocial Behaviors in Students

Abstract :

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between psychological birth order, family climate, and prosocial behaviors of students. The study is descriptive-correlational in nature, and a combination of convenience and stratified sampling methods was used to select 325 undergraduate students (221 females and 104 males) from the University of Guilan for the academic year 2024-2025. Data were collected using the Prosocial Behavior Questionnaire by Penner et al. (2002), the Birth Order Questionnaire by Whitecamp (1991), the Family Climate Scale by Howestat et al. (1985), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale by Schwarzer and Jerusalem (1995). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and the bootstrap method with SPSS27 and AMOS24 software. The results of the structural equation modeling showed that psychological birth order was not directly related to prosocial behaviors. However, a significant direct relationship was found between family climate and prosocial behaviors of students, as well as between self-efficacy and prosocial behaviors. Moreover, the indirect effect of psychological birth order and family climate on prosocial behaviors, mediated by self-efficacy, was confirmed. The research model and measurement tools demonstrated good fit. The results of the present study emphasize the importance of psychological and family factors in the formation of prosocial behaviors.

References:

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