Prosocial behavior as bridge and buffer: exploring its dual role between stress and mental health in emerging adults

The present study investigated the dual role of prosocial behavior among emerging adults in a non-Western cultural context. Within this scope, first, adaptation and validation of the Adult Prosocialness Behavior Scale (PBS) was carried out for Turkish population. Then, it tested both mediating and moderating functions of prosocial behavior in the links from stress to subjective wellbeing (SWB) and quality of life. To this end, a sample of 419 emerging adults (41.3% males and 58.7% females) completed an online survey. Results revealed Turkish version of the APBS to be a reliable and valid measurement tool for assessing prosocial behavior. Regarding the main hypotheses, serial multiple mediation analysis revealed that perceived stress predicted quality of life through the sequential pathway of prosocial behavior and SWB. Additionally, the moderated-mediation analysis confirmed the moderating role of prosocial behavior in the relationship between stress. Nevertheless, moderated mediation index did not reveal a significant conditional indirect effect of prosocial behavior for the indirect path from stress on quality of life through SWB. Overall, findings suggest that prosocial behavior plays a dual role as both a ‘bridge’ (mediator) and a ‘buffer’ (moderator) in the relationship between stress and mental health.