Social　competence　is　commonly　considered　an　important　factor　that　impedes　maladaptive　development　because　individuals　who　lack　adequate　competence　to　direct　or　control　their　behaviors　in　social　situations　are　likely　to　display　problems.　Despite　the　belief　that　social　competence　may　be　a　multi-dimensional　construct,　existing　research　has　not　explored　the　unique　contributions　of　its　different　aspects　to　development.　The　present　two-wave　longitudinal　study　examined　relations　of　prosociality　and　sociability,　two　major　aspects　of　social　competence,　with　problem　behaviors　in　a　sample　of　adolescents.　Peer　assessment　data　on　prosociality　and　sociability　and　self-report　data　on　substance　use　and　deviant　behavior　were　obtained　from　a　sample　of　adolescents　in　middle　(N　=　657,　mean　age　=　13　years)　and　high　(N　=　675,　mean　age　=　16　years)　schools　in　China.　The　results　showed　that　prosociality　negatively　predicted　later　problem　behaviors,　whereas　sociability　positively　predicted　later　problem　behaviors.　In　addition,　gender　and　grade　moderated　the　associations　between　sociability　and　problem　behaviors.　More　specifically,　the　positive　association　between　sociability　and　later　substance　use　was　significant　for　boys,　but　not　for　girls.　Sociability　was　also　more　strongly　associated　with　later　substance　use　in　middle　school　than　in　high　school.　The　results　indicate　that　prosociality　and　sociability　may　have　different　functional　meanings　in　adolescent　development　and　have　implications　for　practical　work　with　adolescents　who　display　problem　behaviors.　©　2018,　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature.