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Bidirectional and longitudinal relationship between nature contact and children’s problem behavior: The mediating role of prosocial behavior

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2025

Haoning Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, PR China
Jingyi Zhang
Affiliation:
School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, PR China
Yue Qi
Affiliation:
School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, PR China
Xiao Yu*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, PR China
Xinyi Yang
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, PR China
*
Corresponding author: Xiao Yu; Email: yx0903yingzhong@163.com

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that nature contact is a protective factor for problem behavior in children. However, there remains a significant gap in research exploring the reciprocal relationship between nature contact and children’s problem behavior, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving this relationship. This study employed a longitudinal three-wave design involving 516 children in China (268 girls, Mage = 10.88 ± 0.66 years old at Time 3). Cross-lagged analyses indicated that nature contact and problem behavior negatively predicted each other over time, and prosocial behavior bidirectionally mediated the relationship between nature contact and problem behavior. These results provided evidence for the relationships among nature interaction, social development, and behavioral development in children. These findings suggested that promoting prosocial behavior could reduce problem behavior and enhance nature engagement, potentially serving as a strategy to foster comprehensive development in children.

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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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