Impact of Prosocial Behaviors on Self-Identity of Vulnerable Adolescents in Relatively Poor Areas: Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs as Mediator

Abstract The self-identity of adolescents living in relatively poor rural areas of China is a particularly noteworthy topic; however, research on the mechanisms influencing self-identity remains relatively limited. This study employed self-determination theory to develop a framework for examining how prosocial behavior influences the self-identity of vulnerable adolescents from rural China. A total of 866 adolescents aged 10 to 16 from these areas participated in the investigation. Utilizing structural equation modeling, the study sought to verify the relationships between prosocial behavior, the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and self-identity. The results indicate that (1) the more prosocial behavior vulnerable adolescents engage in, the higher their self-identity will be; (2) the fulfillment of basic psychological needs has an indirect effect on the relationship between prosocial behavior and self-identity; and (3) there is no significant difference in the path coefficients of the satisfaction of the three types of basic psychological needs. These findings suggest that prosocial behavior enhances self-identity formation in vulnerable adolescents by satisfying their basic psychological needs. Additionally, positive youth development (PYD) strategies can be implemented to promote the construction of self-identity, thereby facilitating healthy socialization among these adolescents.