How Conscientiousness Influences Prosocial Behavior Among Adolescents: The Role of Empathy and Social Support

Existing research highlights the positive relationship between conscientiousness and prosocial behavior. Yet the underlying psychological mechanism between these variables needs further exploration. This study investigated the mediating role of empathy and the moderating role of social support in the relationship between conscientiousness and prosocial behavior by constructing a moderated mediation model. The study included 1081 middle school students from China, aged 13 to 18 years (<i>M</i> = 15.45, <i>SD</i> = 1.91). The sample consisted of 531 boys (49.12%) and 550 girls (50.88%), all of whom completed surveys on conscientiousness, empathy, social support, and prosocial behavior. Results revealed that empathy partially mediated the relationship between conscientiousness and prosocial behavior, while social support moderated both the direct relationship between conscientiousness and prosocial behavior and the indirect relationship between conscientiousness and prosocial behavior mediated by empathy. The findings provide educational implications for cultivating prosocial behavior among adolescents.