Open Access

ARTICLE

What Factors Predict Prosocial Behavior during Social Crisis? A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

Agar Marín-Morales^1,2,*, Sofia Amaoui², Carmen Fernández-Fillol^2,3,4, Gustavo Carlo⁵, Sandra Rivas-García^2,6

1 Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, 18071, Spain
2 Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, 18011, Spain
3 Department of Health Sciences, Valencian International University, Valencia, 46001, Spain
4 Faculty of Health Sciences, Isabel I University, Burgos, 09001, Spain
5 School of Education, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
6 Psychology Department, Faculty of Education, Campus Duques de Soria, University of Valladolid, Soria, 42004, Spain

* Corresponding Author: Agar Marín-Morales. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Mental Health Promotion and Psychosocial Support in Vulnerable Populations: Challenges, Strategies and Interventions)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(4), 561-576. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.058881

Received 23 September 2024; Accepted 14 February 2025; Issue published 30 April 2025

Abstract

Background: Prosocial behavior plays a crucial role in improving interpersonal relationships and social well-being, especially in times of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe humanitarian crisis, prompting governments to implement measures such as social confinement. The main objective of the study was to analyze the psychological and sociodemographic variables that may predict prosocial behavior during quarantine. Methods: The sample consisted of 172 participants from Spain, divided into two groups based on whether they reported an increase in prosocial behaviors during quarantine. An online survey was administered to analyze the psychological and sociodemographic variables. Results: Overall, results demonstrate that emotional regulation, morality and age may predict prosocial behavior. Conclusions: Understanding the predictors of prosocial behavior during social crises is crucial for devising effective policies aimed at fostering community resilience and support networks, with particular attention to factors such as the capacity to regulate emotions, morality, and age.

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Keywords

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