eprintid: 10200103 rev_number: 6 eprint_status: archive userid: 699 dir: disk0/10/20/01/03 datestamp: 2024-11-14 12:22:26 lastmod: 2024-11-14 12:22:26 status_changed: 2024-11-14 12:22:26 type: article metadata_visibility: show sword_depositor: 699 creators_name: Tsomokos, Dimitris I creators_name: Raviv, Limor title: A bidirectional association between language development and prosocial behavior in childhood: Evidence from a longitudinal birth cohort in the United Kingdom ispublished: inpress divisions: UCL divisions: B16 divisions: B14 divisions: J79 note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: This study investigated a developmental cascade between prosocial and linguistic abilities in a large sample (N = 11,051) from the general youth population in the United Kingdom (50% female, 46% living in disadvantaged neighborhoods, 13% non-White). Cross-lagged panel models showed that verbal ability at age 3 predicted prosociality at age 7, which in turn predicted verbal ability at age 11. Latent growth models also showed that gains in prosociality between 3 and 5 years were associated with increased verbal ability between 5 and 11 years and vice versa. Theory of mind and social competence at age 5 mediated the association between early childhood prosociality and late childhood verbal ability. These results remained robust even after controlling for socioeconomic factors, maternal mental health, parenting microclimate in the home environment, and individual characteristics (sex, ethnicity, and special educational needs). The findings suggest that language skills could be boosted through mentalizing activities and prosocial behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) date: 2024-11-11 date_type: published publisher: American Psychological Association (APA) official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0001875 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 2335271 doi: 10.1037/dev0001875 lyricists_name: Tsomokos, Dimitrios lyricists_id: DTSOM06 actors_name: Tsomokos, Dimitrios actors_id: DTSOM06 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: Developmental Psychology issn: 0012-1649 citation: Tsomokos, Dimitris I; Raviv, Limor; (2024) A bidirectional association between language development and prosocial behavior in childhood: Evidence from a longitudinal birth cohort in the United Kingdom. Developmental Psychology 10.1037/dev0001875 <https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001875>. (In press). Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10200103/1/Final_Manuscript_06Sept24.pdf