Promoting prosocial pupil behaviour: 1-A multilevel theoretical model

Background. Usually much attention is given to different forms of antisocial pupil behaviour. One of the possibilities to prevent or reduce this behaviour is to stimulate educational conditions that foster prosocial pupil behaviour. Aim. To specify a theoretical multilevel model to promote prosocial pupil behaviour. The model should allow empirical checks on the occurrence of pupil level effects because of educational changes at the classroom and school level. Methods. Information from the literature and previous research is used to construct a three-level model in which longitudinal pupil effects are caused by classroom and school characteristics, while controlling for covariables,The causal class and school variables mainly refer to pupils' participation and responsibility in specifying and controlling behavioural and didactic rules, and are assumed to be related to didactic differentiation during lessons. Results. The multilevel theorising results in a model of social-pedagogical and didactic class and school variables, of home and peer support variables, and of their potential effects on the development of a pupil's prosocial behaviour. The three-level model will be empirically checked in a second article (this issue).