Developmental changes in preferences for help

This study investigated developmental changes in preferences for help from the perspective of the individual receiving help. Boys and girls in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 responded to a questionnaire which presented seven hypothetical problem situations; each situation was paired with seven different helpers, which resulted in a total of 49 helper‐situation combinations. Children responded on a Likert‐type scale as to whether they would feel comfortable receiving help with a particular problem from the specified helper. Results indicated that preferences for help, much as altruism, must be regarded as a complex phenomenon reflecting several interacting variables, but two consistent findings emerged: (1) there was a developmental increase in preferences for help across the school‐age years, and (2) girls were more open to help than boys and were also rated as the most preferred helpers.