Development of prosocial behavior and inhibitory control in late childhood: A longitudinal exploration of sex differences and reciprocal relations

Prosocial behavior and inhibitory control develop across childhood and adolescence, and several theoretical accounts propose reciprocal relations between the two constructs. Empirical support for such associations is, however, limited. Here, prosocial behavior assessed by the parent-reported Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire and inhibitory control measured by the Opposite Worlds Task were assessed in children aged 9 and 12 years (n=9468, 49,9% girls) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Latent change score models revealed that low inhibitory control in boys at age 9 predicted more decreases in prosocial behavior from age 9-12. This may suggest that interventions targeting inhibitory control in boys may also foster their social competence