This study explores the influence of well-being, empathy, moral identity, and spirituality on prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth. A quantitative approach was employed with a sample of 411 participants, using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses to investigate the relationships between these variables. The results revealed that moral identity was the strongest predictor of prosocial behavior, followed closely by spirituality, empathy, and well-being. These findings highlight the central role of moral identity in shaping prosocial actions, with spirituality and empathy also playing significant roles. Well-being, while slightly less influential, still contributes meaningfully to prosocial behavior by promoting emotional stability and life satisfaction. The study emphasizes the importance of fostering moral development, spiritual growth, and emotional well-being to encourage prosocial behavior in youth. Policymakers, educators, and community leaders are encouraged to implement programs that focus on these key areas to promote a more compassionate and engaged youth population.
Abdul Rahman, Z., & Azman, N. (2020). Fostering prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth: A multicultural perspective. Asian Journal of Social Science, 48(3), 119-134.
Abdul Rahman, Z., & Ismail, R. (2021). The role of wellbeing in promoting prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth. Journal of Youth Studies, 28(4), 451-462.
Aquino, K., & Reed, A. (2002). The self-importance of moral identity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1423-1440.
Aquino, K., & Reed, A. (2002). The self-importance of moral identity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1423-1440.
Batson, C. D. (2011). Altruism in humans. Oxford University Press.
Batson, C. D., Lishner, D. A., & Stocks, E. L. (2020). Empathy and prosocial motivation. In M. E. Mikulincer & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Prosocial motives, emotions, and behavior (pp. 151-171). American Psychological Association.
Baumeister, R. F., Vohs, K. D., & Aaker, J. L. (2022). Prosocial behavior in the digital age: A review. Annual Review of Psychology, 73, 341-363.
Caprara, G. V., Steca, P., & Alessandri, G. (2021). Prosocial foundations of civic engagement: The role of empathy, moral identity, and social responsibility. Journal of Social Psychology, 57(2), 210-222.
Caprara, G. V., Steca, P., Zimbardo, P. G., & Alessandri, G. (2017). Prosocial foundations of youth civic engagement: The role of empathy, moral identity, and social responsibility. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 58, 52-63.
Chong, W. Y., & Lim, S. M. (2021). The role of moral identity in promoting youth volunteerism in Malaysia. International Journal of Youth Development, 18(2), 34-45.
Chong, W. Y., & Ng, S. M. (2020). Predictors of prosocial behavior among youth in Malaysia: The role of empathy and social connectedness. Malaysian Journal of Psychology, 34(3), 233-245.
Chong, W. Y., Rahman, Z. A., & Ng, L. (2019). Developing prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth: Implications for policy and practice. Youth and Society, 51(5), 651-670.
Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(1), 113-126.
Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(1), 113-126.
Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Tay, L. (2018). Advances in subjective wellbeing research. Nature Human Behaviour, 2, 253-260.
Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., & Knafo-Noam, A. (2021). Prosocial development. In M. E. Lamb & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science (Vol. 3, pp. 610-656). Wiley.
Emmons, R. A. (2018). Gratitude and the good life: Toward a psychology of well-being. Springer.
Hardy, S. A., & Carlo, G. (2021). Moral identity and prosocial behavior: A review of the literature. Journal of Moral Education, 50(2), 203-218.
Hassan, N. M., Ismail, R., & Chong, W. Y. (2022). Spirituality and prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth: A qualitative inquiry. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 24(3), 221-235.
Hassan, N., Ismail, R., & Chong, W. Y. (2022). The role of spirituality in fostering prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth. Journal of Spirituality and Mental Health, 24(2), 183-195.
Hill, P. C., & Pargament, K. I. (2003). Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality. American Psychologist, 58(1), 64-74.
Hossain, A., Rahim, N., & Chong, W. Y. (2021). Empathy and prosocial behavior among Malaysian adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50(5), 873-885.
Hossain, A., Rahim, N., & Lim, L. (2022). Cultural values, empathy, and prosocial behavior among Malaysian adolescents. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 53(4), 511-525.
Ismail, R., & Rahim, N. (2021). Empathy as a predictor of prosocial behavior among youth in Malaysia. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 70(3), 223-234.
Ismail, R., & Rahim, Z. A. (2021). The role of empathy in promoting social cohesion among youth in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Social Science, 43(1), 56-67. Ismail, R., & Rahman, Z. A. (2021). The influence of spirituality on prosocial behavior among adolescents in Malaysia.
Jennings, D. P., & Hardy, S. A. (2020). The relationship between moral identity and prosocial behavior among adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 56(5), 811-821.
Jennings, D. P., Hardy, S. A., & Carlo, G. (2020). Moral identity as a mediator between parenting and prosocial behavior among adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 79, 103-113.
Karimi, F., Lopez-Perez, B., & Estevez, A. (2019). Empathy and prosocial behavior: The role of individual differences in empathetic concern. Personality and Individual Differences, 140, 31-36.
Karimi, F., Lopez-Perez, B., & Estevez, A. (2020). Empathy and prosocial behavior: The mediating role of prosocial emotions. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(3), 245-260.
Karimi, F., Lopez-Perez, B., & Estevez, A. (2020). Empathy and prosocial behavior: The mediating role of prosocial emotions. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(3), 245-26.
Lim, Y. P., Chong, W. Y., & Rahman, Z. (2020). Wellbeing and prosocial behavior: Evidence from Malaysian youth. Journal of Youth Development, 39(2), 162-175.
Lopez-Perez, B., Howells, L., & Gummerum, M. (2020). Empathy and its role in prosocial behavior: A systematic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 24(4), 324-345.
Lopez-Perez, B., Howells, L., & Gummerum, M. (2020). The role of empathy in helping behavior: A systematic review. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 29(4), 308-315.
Musa, H., & Khalid, N. (2020). Wellbeing as a predictor of prosocial behavior among young adults in Malaysia. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(6), 1147-1162.
Musa, N. H., & Khalid, M. (2021). Psychological wellbeing as a predictor of prosocial behavior among young adults in Malaysia. Journal of Behavioral Science, 43(2), 111-124.
Rahman, Z., & Abdul Khalid, M. (2022). Social wellbeing and prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth: The role of peer relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(1), 211-223.
Rahman, Z., & Abdul Khalid, M. (2022). Spirituality and altruism: The role of religious commitment in promoting prosocial behavior among Malaysian youth. Journal of Youth and Society, 41(3), 341-356.
Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social • Abdul Hamid, N., & Khalid, M. (2021). The influence of wellbeing on youth prosocial behavior in Malaysia. Journal of Youth Studies, 30(2), 211-223.
Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719-727.
Shao, J., Aquino, K., & Jennings, D. P. (2021). The mediating role of moral identity in prosocial behavior: A cross-cultural examination. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 52(2), 157-170.
Shao, J., Aquino, K., & Reed, A. (2021). The role of moral identity in shaping prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 25(2), 181-197.
Shariff, M., Hassan, Z., & Ismail, R. (2022). Examining the relationship between spirituality and helping behavior in young Malaysian adults. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17(5), 512-521.
Shariff, M., Hassan, Z., & Ismail, R. (2022). Examining the relationship between spirituality and helping behavior in young Malaysian adults. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17(5), 512-521.Steger, M. F., Shin, J. Y., & Dik, B. J. (2019). Purpose in life and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(5), 730-743.
Smetana, J. G., Jambon, M., & Ball, C. L. (2019). The role of moral identity in adolescent prosocial behavior: A review. Developmental Review, 53(1), 162-175.
Steger, M. F., Shin, J. Y., & Dik, B. J. (2019). Purpose in life and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(5), 730-743.
Tan, K., & Chong, W. Y. (2020). Moral identity and prosocial behavior: A study of secondary school students in Malaysia. Educational Psychology, 20(3), 125-137.
Tan, K., Chong, W. Y., & Rahim, N. (2020). Moral identity and prosocial behavior among secondary school students in Malaysia. Education and Youth Studies Journal, 15(3), 55-68.
Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., Platt, S., Joseph, S., Weich, S., … & Stewart-Brown, S. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 5(1), 1-13.
Underwood, L. G., & Teresi, J. A. (2002). The daily spiritual experience scale: Development, theoretical description, reliability, exploratory factor analysis, and preliminary construct validity using health-related data. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24(1), 22-33.Behavioral Sciences, 43(2), 113-128.
Zhang, L., Wang, Y., & Hu, S. (2020). Spirituality and its effect on prosocial behavior: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(4), 466-475.
Velusamy, Y., Ma’rof, A. A., & Hamsan, H. H. (2024). The Relationship between Well-Being, Empathy, Moral Identity, and Spirituality on Prosocial Behavior among Malaysian Youth. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(12), 912–928.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
