Dutch adaptation of the Prosocial Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ-NL): A validity and reliability study in adolescents and early adults

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Dutch translation of the Prosocial Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ-NL), a self-report questionnaire that distinguishes altruistic, reactive, and proactive prosocial behaviors. Participants were 381 Dutch adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 30 (Mage=18.62, SD=2.59, 65.1% female). Test-retest reliability data was available for 199 participants. A Confirmatory Factor Analyses supported the three-factor structure of the questionnaire, with adequate six-month test-retest reliability and good internal consistency. Altruistic and reactive prosocial behaviors correlated significantly and positively with prosocial behaviors directed at family/peers and the larger society, but not with depression or aggression. Conversely, proactively motivated prosocial behavior correlated significantly and negatively with prosocial behavior directed at peers/friends, and positively with prosocial behavior directed at the larger society, aggression, and depression. These findings show that the PBQ-NL is a reliable measure to disentangle self- and other-serving motivations that underly prosociality during adolescence and early adulthood.