Adverse childhood experiences, belief in a just world, and prosocial behavior among university students

This study explored the association between adverse childhood experiences and prosocial behavior among university students, along with the mediating function of belief in a just world. We recruited 785 university students across three universities, who completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale, the Belief in a Just World Scale, and the Prosocial Tendencies Measures. The results of correlation and mediation analysis showed that adverse childhood experiences significantly and negatively predicted university students’ prosocial behavior, and belief in a just world had a positive association with university students’ prosocial behavior. Further, belief in a just world mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and prosocial behavior. These findings highlight the importance of adverse childhood experiences and belief in a just world in promoting the development of prosocial skills in university students.