AN ATTEMPT TO CONSTRUCT A SCALE OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Twenty items to be used in assessing the indi vidual differences in the prosocial behavior of high school students were selected through item analysis. The factor analysis of these items indicated that there were five factors: 1) helping other family members, 2) social service and donations, and three other factors concerned with helping friends, 3) behavioral situations, 4) learning situations, and 5) psychological situations. The score of this scale related positively to the score of the benevolence value and negatively to that of the independence value ; the score related positively to the empathy scale, self-consciousness scale, self-monitoring scale and social skill scale. This scale was also validated through peer rating as well as through the data on help in the home. Although no great differences were found between junior and senior high school students, significant differences were seen between male and female students, and between students from different school climates.