Exploring the Relationship between Empathy, Prosocial Behavior and Birth Order among Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

This research investigated the relationship between empathy and prosocial behavior among adolescents and young adults, considering the role of birth order. In a world shaped by empathy and kindness, understanding what drives people to help others has never been more important. A quantitative, correlational survey design was employed, and data was collected from 226 participants (154 females, 72 males) aged 13–40 years using a convenience sampling technique. The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) and Prosocial Behavior Scale were used to measure the variables. Two hypotheses were tested using correlational analysis and One-Way ANOVA via SPSS version 25. Results revealed a significant relationship between empathy, birth order, and prosocial behavior. However, no significant difference was found in empathy and prosocial behavior based on birth order. An important implication is that early evidence-based empathy training and positive parenting can nurture emotionally secure, prosocial individuals. Future research may benefit from using larger, more diverse samples to validate these findings.