Investigating a Neurobiological Mechanism Mediating the Relationship Between Experiences of Violence and Prosocial Behavior

Abstract:

Early exposure to violence has deleterious effects on the brain and human behavior. Significant prior work has demonstrated that violence-related trauma can have a negative impact on children’s and adults’ psychosocial wellbeing. Emerging research, however, suggests that experiences of violence can also promote positive behaviors, such as prosocial behavior. Prosocial behavior, a term used to describe voluntary actions individuals undertake to benefit others, is a crucial precursor to both social cohesion and collective action (e.g., voting or activism) within a democratic society. Limited work has investigated the drivers of prosocial behavior in youth following experiences of violence. The present study seeks to investigate the relationship between trauma, prosocial behavior, and the mediating role of neural processes in children. I utilize survey and structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) data from the national Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study—which includes approximately 12,000 children aged 9–10 years old in the United States—to evaluate whether structural alterations in brain regions (such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and subregions of the prefrontal cortex) following exposure to violence shapes youth prosocial behavior. I find preliminary evidence suggesting the existence of a neurobiological mechanism partially responsible for the relationship between violence-exposure and prosocial behavior in youth.