THE RELATIONS OF CHILDRENS DISPOSITIONAL PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR TO EMOTIONALITY, REGULATION, AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations of a measure of children's dispositional prosocial behavior (i.e., peer nominations) to individual differences in children's negative emotionality, regulat ion, and social functioning. Children with prosocial reputations tende d to be high in constructive social skills (i.e., socially appropriate behavior and constructive coping) and attentional regulation, and low in negative emotionality. The relations of children's negative emotio nality to prosocial reputation were moderated by level of dispositiona l attentional regulation. In addition, the relations of prosocial repu tation to constructive social skills and parent-reported negative emot ionality (for girls) increased with age. Vagal tone, a marker of physi ological regulation, was negatively related to girls' prosocial reputa tion.