1.1. Prosociality and Well-Being
depression, anxiety
A number of laboratory studies conducted with adults over the past two decades suggest that engaging in prosociality is a path to greater well-being [The emotional rewards of prosocial action have also been detected among young children in lab studies. In one lab experiment [Despite evidence suggesting that prosocial action can lead to well-being for young children, relatively few studies have examined the associations between prosociality and subjective well-being in primary school-aged children aged 5–12 [Examining the link between prosociality and well-being in community and school-based settings is critical in light of the various school- and community-based interventions that aim to nurture a prosocial identity in children, often with the expectation that these programs will enhance children’s psychological well-being [First, most explorations into the potential benefits of prosociality programs investigate success on alternative markers of well-being, such as lower incidence of behavioral issues and mental health challenges (e.g., symptoms of depression, anxiety [Second, there is mixed evidence that prosociality-focused or closely related programs can meaningfully impact children’s well-being. Some examinations of “positive education programs” in schools suggest that interventions promoting acts of kindness and other positive psychology activities (e.g., gratitude, developing core character strengths) can benefit children’s well-being (e.g., [