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Weziak-Bialowolska D, Bialowolski P. Helping and Volunteering During COVID-19: Associations With Well-Being and Psychological Distress. Am J Prev Med 2024; 66:645-654. [PMID: 37993015 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Salutogenic effects of volunteering and helping activities have been well recognized in the pre-COVID-19 era. This study examines associations between helping others as well as additional volunteer activities during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and 6 psychological distress and well-being outcomes one year later. METHODS Longitudinal data collected between 2019 and 2021 were used. Analyses were based on data from 42,005 middle-aged and older adults from 27 European countries who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and two SHARE Corona Surveys. Prospective associations were examined using generalized estimating equations. A series of secondary analyses and the sensitivity of the associations to unmeasured confounding provided evidence for the robustness of results. All analyses were conducted in December 2022. RESULTS Helping others outside one's home in the first wave of COVID-19 was associated with subsequent increased risks of depression and anxiety. It was concurrently associated with an increased probability of an uplifting, hope, and happiness-inducing experience. Engagement in volunteer activities conducted in addition to helping was found to be prospectively associated with higher probability of an uplifting experience, but not with depression and anxiety. These associations were independent of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, personality traits, prior quality of life and health history as well as pre-COVID-19 engagement in altruistic activities. CONCLUSIONS Helping and volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic likely led to positive experiences. However, a negative impact on psychological distress of the same activities was also noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Weziak-Bialowolska
- Centre for Evaluation and Analysis of Public Policies, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland; Human Flourishing Program, Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
| | - Piotr Bialowolski
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Department of Economics, Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland
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Torres Z, Martínez-Gregorio S, Oliver A. Senior volunteers: addressing loneliness in times of COVID-19. Eur J Ageing 2023; 20:40. [PMID: 37861734 PMCID: PMC10589161 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-023-00788-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Volunteering in old age plays an important role in addressing feelings of loneliness, but little research has been conducted on the impact of engaging in volunteering activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates the longitudinal impact of volunteering on feelings of loneliness. We analyzed data from 31,667 adults aged 50 years and older in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), across three consecutive waves (one before the pandemic and two during the COVID-19 pandemic). Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted for loneliness, using volunteering and several control variables as independent variables, and found that even after controlling for previous loneliness, volunteering has a protective effect against experiencing feelings of loneliness. Those who participated in volunteering activities before or during the second pandemic period had a lower risk of loneliness during the second pandemic period. Volunteering during the second pandemic period, before and during the second pandemic period, and during all three periods measured in the study was negatively associated with the odds of feeling lonely. Encouraging volunteering among older adults can be a useful strategy to prevent loneliness during future emergency situations like the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaira Torres
- Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Martínez-Gregorio
- Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Amparo Oliver
- Department of Methodology of the Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain
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Anderson AJ, Jones KV, Melton TN, Keller TE, DuBois DL. Identifying predictors of psychological well-being among volunteer mentors in Big Brothers Big Sisters. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 51:2802-2827. [PMID: 37459294 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.23073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) facilitates mentoring relationships between youth and volunteer mentors. Although research has examined outcomes for youth in BBBS, relatively less investigation has been undertaken for volunteer outcomes. This study explored factors associated with changes in psychological well-being among BBBS volunteer mentors. Participants included 593 mentors (Mage = 31) surveyed at study baseline and 15-month follow-up. A classification and regression decision tree approach was used to predict residualized change in psychological well-being from study baseline with match length included as the first split variable, and demographic, individual, and relationship variables included as candidate predictors. Analyses indicated that mentors with longer relationships (>4.5 months) reported more positive change in psychological well-being compared with mentors with shorter relationships. Perceived quality of program supervision was a further predictor within both groups of volunteers. Findings suggest that longer relationships and greater program support may contribute to mentor well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J Anderson
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Kristian V Jones
- School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Theresa N Melton
- College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas E Keller
- School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - David L DuBois
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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4
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Cho J, Xiang X. The Relationship Between Volunteering and the Occurrence of Loneliness Among Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study with 12 Years of Follow-Up. JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORK 2023; 66:680-693. [PMID: 36330601 DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2022.2139322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Informed by the social model of health promotion, this study examined the association between formal volunteering and the occurrence of loneliness among older adults over 12 years of follow-up and whether the association differs by gender. Data came from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2018). The study sample included 5,000 individuals aged 60 and over who did not experience loneliness in 2006. Self-reported participation in formal volunteer work was classified into three levels: (0) no volunteering, (1) less than 100 hours of volunteering per year, and (2) more than 100 hours of volunteering per year. Cox regression was used to examine the relationship between volunteering level and the onset of loneliness during the 12 years of follow-up. Volunteering more than 100 hours per year was associated with a lower risk of loneliness compared to non-volunteers (HR = 0.55, p = .008). This protective effect was not observed for those who volunteered less than 100 hours per year (HR = 0.84, p = .246). The benefits of volunteering in mitigating loneliness did not differ by gender. Engagement in moderate to high levels of volunteering can protect against loneliness. More volunteering programs can be offered to older adults to reduce loneliness in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joonyoung Cho
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiaoling Xiang
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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5
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Hopkins EG, Leman PJ, Cervin M, Numbers K, Brodaty H, Kochan NA, Sachdev PS, Medvedev ON. Network of mental activities, cognitive function and depression in older men and women. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 162:113-122. [PMID: 37148602 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that lifestyle activities impact cognitive and mental health in older populations. However, how lifestyle factors are associated with one another, and which factors are most important for cognitive function and mental health has received comparatively little attention. DESIGN Bayesian-Gaussian network analysis was used to investigate unique associations between mental activities (MA; i.e., activities involving cognitive engagement), global cognition, and depression at three time-points in a large sample of older adults (baseline, 2 years, and 4 years follow-up). SETTING This study used longitudinal data from participants living in Australia and participating in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. PARTICIPANTS The sample included 998 participants (55% female) aged between 70 and 90, without a diagnosis of dementia at baseline. MEASUREMENTS Neuropsychological assessment of global cognition, self-reported depressive symptoms, and self-reported information about daily MA. RESULTS Cognitive functioning was positively associated with playing tabletop games and using the internet in both sexes at all time-points. MA were differentially linked in men and women. Depression was not consistently associated with MA in men across the three time-points; women who visited artistic events consistently had lower depression scores. CONCLUSIONS Engaging with tabletop games and using the internet was associated with better cognition in both sexes, however sex acted as a modifier for other associations. These findings are useful for future investigations that consider interactive associations between MA, cognition, and mental health in older adults, and their possible roles in promoting healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella G Hopkins
- University of Waikato, School of Psychology, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | - Patrick J Leman
- University of Waikato, School of Psychology, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | | | - Katya Numbers
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Henry Brodaty
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Nicole A Kochan
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Perminder S Sachdev
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Oleg N Medvedev
- University of Waikato, School of Psychology, Hamilton, New Zealand.
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Macchia L, Farmer J, Kubzansky LD. Prosocial behaviour helps to ease physical pain: Longitudinal evidence from Britain. J Psychosom Res 2023; 169:111325. [PMID: 37037156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prior studies suggest that prosocial behaviour can lead to better mental and physical health. Yet little is known about whether engaging in prosocial behaviour contributes to reducing physical pain. The objective of this study is to investigate longitudinal associations of two prosocial behaviours, donating money to charity and/or volunteering time to an organisation, with pain. METHODS Data are from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS, approximate N = 48,000 individuals). Both prosocial behaviours were assessed in 2011 and pain was assessed annually through 2020, according to the extent to which it interfered with respondents' ability to do work. Using a prospective longitudinal study design, linear mixed models examined associations of each prosocial behaviour separately and both combined on pain interference across 10 years of follow-up adjusting for a broad range of covariates including demographics, initial health status, and depression. RESULTS People who did versus did not donate or volunteer reported lower pain interference over 10 years of follow-up (donating b = -0.059, p < 0.001; volunteering b = -0.086, p < 0.001). Individuals who donated more versus less money reported lower pain interference although volunteering more hours was not associated with lower pain interference. Finally, findings suggested that engaging in both donating and volunteering versus neither was associated with lower pain interference over follow-up. CONCLUSION There is a longitudinal association between donating money to charity and/or volunteering time to an organisation with pain interference with work. Understanding factors that help to reduce pain is relevant for the design of public health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Justin Farmer
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States of America
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Akdağ B, Ege D, Göksülük D, İpekten F, Erdoğan A, Önder A. The parental COVID-19 anxiety and emotional exhaustion in healthcare workers: exploring the roles of resilience, prosocialness, and optimism. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 42:1-10. [PMID: 36852082 PMCID: PMC9947882 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04414-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Healthcare workers (HCWs) also became the main protagonist of the tragic pandemic story. They have had a markedly higher risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. Outside work, healthcare workers with children have experienced mental health challenges, including the worry that they may carry COVID-19 home and infect their children. Based on these, the current study aimed to examine the effect of parental COVID-19 anxiety on emotional exhaustion and identify the roles of resilience, prosocialness, and optimism in this relationship. The findings demonstrated that prosocialness moderated the relationship between personal COVID-19 anxiety and emotional exhaustion by alleviating the depleting effects of personal COVID-19 anxiety. At the same time, prosocialness reinforced the negative effect of resilience on emotional exhaustion. On the other side, optimism moderated the relationship between parental COVID-19 anxiety and resilience by alleviating the adverse effect of parental COVID-19 anxiety. Moreover, it buffered the exacerbating effect of parental anxiety on personal anxiety. In conclusion, promoting personal resources (i.e., resilience, prosocialness, and optimism) seems an excellent way to mitigate the adverse consequences of the pandemic on mental health. Furthermore, the increment in parental mental health problems during COVID-19 pandemic may have long-term effects on children. Considering this perspective, we need to develop a proactive approach for parents' now and children's futures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berhan Akdağ
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Silifke State Hospital, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Duygu Ege
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Silifke State Hospital, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Dinçer Göksülük
- Department of Biostatistics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Funda İpekten
- Department of Biostatistics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Ali Erdoğan
- Department of Psychiatry, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Arif Önder
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
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Fenn N, Sacco A, Monahan K, Robbins M, Pearson-Merkowitz S. Examining the relationship between civic engagement and mental health in young adults: a systematic review of the literature. JOURNAL OF YOUTH STUDIES 2022; 27:558-587. [PMID: 38706784 PMCID: PMC11068018 DOI: 10.1080/13676261.2022.2156779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Researchers have examined civic engagement as a health promotion tool among older adults and adolescents, yet less is known about its mental health implications for young adults. This systematic review identified 53 articles on civic engagement and well-being in young adults. Five key themes emerged: (1) varying associations between type of civic engagement and well-being, (2) duration and frequency of civic behaviors, (3) directionality in the civic-to-well-being pathway, (4) mediation and moderation factors affecting the civic-to-well-being pathway, and (5) civic engagement as a tool for coping with adversity or systemic oppression. Civic engagement demonstrates a heterogeneous relationship to well-being; future research should focus on the explanatory pathways for positive, negative, and null correlations particularly among historically marginalized young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Fenn
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Allegra Sacco
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Kathleen Monahan
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Mark Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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Gloster AT, Rinner MTB, Haller E, Hoyer J, Mikoteit T, Imboden C, Hatzinger M, Bader K, Miché M, Lieb R, Meyer AH. Is helping you helping me? The assessment of helping others using event sampling methodology in a clinical and a non‐clinical sample. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 62:768-781. [PMID: 36329569 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and social phobia (SP) have difficulties in social interactions. It is unknown, however, whether such difficulties prevent them from helping others, thereby depriving them of the natural benefits of helping, such as receiving gratitude. Using event sampling methodology (ESM), individuals (MDD, n = 118; SP, n = 47; and control group, n = 119) responded to questions about the frequency of helping, in total at 5333 time points, and their well-being. Contrary to our hypothesis, individuals in the MDD, SP and control group did not differ in their helping frequency. Results did show an association between helping and well-being, such that helping is related to well-being and well-being to helping. Understanding the complex relation of helping others and well-being and how this might be used during therapy and prevention programmes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T. Gloster
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Intervention Science, Department of Psychology University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Marcia T. B. Rinner
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Intervention Science, Department of Psychology University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Elisa Haller
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Intervention Science, Department of Psychology University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Hoyer
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Thorsten Mikoteit
- Centre for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders University of Basel, Psychiatric Hospital Basel Switzerland
- Psychiatric Services Solothurn and University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Christian Imboden
- Switzerland and Private Clinic Wyss Psychiatric Services Solothurn and University of Basel Muenchenbuchsee Switzerland
| | - Martin Hatzinger
- Psychiatric Services Solothurn and University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Klaus Bader
- Psychiatric University Clinics UPK Basel Switzerland
| | - Marcel Miché
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Roselind Lieb
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology University of Basel Basel Switzerland
| | - Andrea H. Meyer
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology University of Basel Basel Switzerland
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Dekel G, Geldenhuys M, Harris J. Exploring the value of organizational support, engagement, and psychological wellbeing in the volunteer context. Front Psychol 2022; 13:915572. [PMID: 36160559 PMCID: PMC9496652 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In Australia, young adults are more likely to experience psychological distress than other age-groups. Accordingly, volunteer work engagement may act as an important tool for supporting psychological wellbeing. The present study relies on the job demands–resources model and self-determination theory to help understand the negative consequences of high work demands and the importance of effective organizational support to enhance positive mental health outcomes. To address research gaps, the current study explores these concepts for the young adulthood cohort in not-for-profit organizations. The study aims to explore the relationship between psychological wellbeing, volunteer work engagement, and perceived organizational support. The study used a quantitative, cross-lagged, longitudinal method for collecting data from two online surveys completed 4 weeks apart. The inclusion criteria of participants were volunteers who worked a minimum of 4 h a month (on average), resided in Australia, and were between 19 and 40 years old (N = 202). The main study findings were that perceived organizational support mediated the relationship between psychological wellbeing at time point 1 and volunteer engagement at time point 2. However, perceived organizational support did not mediate volunteer engagement at time point 1 and psychological wellbeing at time point 2. There were no bidirectional effects between volunteer engagement and psychological wellbeing. The findings contributed to the existing literature, suggesting there are overlaps between support mechanisms and motivation between paid and unpaid work. The practical implications for not-for-profit organizations are the importance of providing organizational support for young adult volunteers to improve wellbeing outcomes. Limitations and future study recommendations are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Dekel
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Australian College of Applied Professions, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Grace Dekel,
| | - Madelyn Geldenhuys
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jemma Harris
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Australian College of Applied Professions, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Birger Sagiv I, Goldner L, Carmel Y. Civic Engagement in Socially Excluded Young Adults Promotes Well-Being: The Mediation of Self-Efficacy, Meaning in Life, and Identity Exploration. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9862. [PMID: 36011496 PMCID: PMC9408301 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Civic engagement is thought to contribute to well-being among young adults. However, less is known about the ways in which civic engagement promotes well-being in general and in particular in socially excluded populations. This study investigated whether civic engagement contributes to life satisfaction and hope in a sample of 127 socially excluded young Israeli women who participated in social activism programs for a period of eight months. A mediation model incorporating self-efficacy, meaning in life, and identity exploration was used to examine the contribution of positive attitudes toward civic engagement, civic engagement skills, and political awareness to the participants' life satisfaction and hope. Indirect effects were found between positive attitudes toward civic engagement, civic engagement skills, and political awareness and the participants' life satisfaction and hope via self-efficacy. Positive attitudes toward civic engagement and political awareness also predicted the participants' life satisfaction via meaning in life. A positive direct effect was found between political awareness and hope. However, contrary to the hypothesis, a negative direct effect was found between positive attitudes toward civic engagement and life satisfaction. Civic engagement skills and political awareness also predicted identity exploration. These findings underscore the need for clinicians to be aware of the potential benefits of civic engagement for the well-being of socially excluded populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irit Birger Sagiv
- School of Creative Arts Therapies, Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences, The Emili Sagol CATs Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Limor Goldner
- School of Creative Arts Therapies, Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences, The Emili Sagol CATs Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Yifat Carmel
- School of Creative Arts Therapies, Faculty of Welfare and Health Sciences, The Emili Sagol CATs Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
- Department of Educational Counseling, Faculty of Education, Beit Berl College, Kfar Saba 4490500, Israel
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12
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Does volunteering improve the psychosocial well-being of volunteers? CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03345-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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13
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Tang F, Li K, Jang H, Rauktis MB. Depressive symptoms in the context of Chinese grandparents caring for grandchildren. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:1120-1126. [PMID: 33843385 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1910788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined the longitudinal association of depressive symptoms with grandchild care intensity and whether the association varies by household structure, residential area, and gender for Chinese grandparents. METHODS Using data from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011-2015), we applied multilevel mixed effects models to examine changes in depressive symptoms and the associations with caregiving intensity and to test the moderation effects of residence, living arrangement, and gender. RESULTS After controlling for sociodemographic and health covariates, we found that providing a medium level of grandchild care was associated with fewer baseline depressive symptoms compared with non-caregivers. Providing low-level care among those living with spouse/partner and among those living with child(ren)/others was associated with fewer depressive symptoms relative to non-caregivers with similar living arrangements. CONCLUSION Findings indicate that a medium level of involvement in childcare was associated with better mental wellness and low levels of caregiving may benefit nonresidential caregivers. More prospective longitudinal studies are needed to improve the operationalization of grandparent caregiving, validate the associated health outcomes, and apply a contextual approach to examine socioeconomic, cultural, and policy-related contexts of caregiving in the changing world of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyan Tang
- School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ke Li
- School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Heejung Jang
- Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Mary Beth Rauktis
- School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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14
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Yang HL, Zhang S, Zhang WC, Shen Z, Wang JH, Cheng SM, Tao YW, Zhang SQ, Yang LX, Yao YD, Xie L, Tang LL, Wu YY, Li ZY. Volunteer Service and Well-Being of Older People in China. Front Public Health 2022; 10:777178. [PMID: 35284360 PMCID: PMC8914025 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.777178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The social support theory suggested that involving older people in social activities could increase their level of social participation and interaction, which in turn improved their well-being. However, there has been a heated controversy about whether participating in volunteer services could enhance the well-being of older people, especially for the Chinese sample. Method Based on the data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2013, this paper used an ordered probit model to examine the impact of older people's participation in volunteer services on their well-being, as well as the differences in the impact across groups and the specific transmission mechanism. Result The empirical study found that Chinese older people's participation in volunteerism significantly enhanced their well-being, which remained robust after eliminating the possible effects of self-selection. Further heterogeneity analysis revealed that for female, non-party members and older adults with good economic status, participation in volunteerism has a higher increase in well-being. The mediating effect test indicated that older people's participation in volunteerism affected well-being mainly through enhancing positive emotions. Conclusion It is necessary to promote the participation of older people in volunteer services and to clarify the role of government support and advocacy. Proper guidance is given to change the role of older people as care recipients to that of service providers and caregivers, and to continuously enrich the programmes and content of volunteer service to safeguard the well-being of older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-lei Yang
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen-chao Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Shen
- School of Economics and Management, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zheng Shen
| | - Jia-hao Wang
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Si-meng Cheng
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi-wen Tao
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Si-qing Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Li-xingzi Yang
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi-dan Yao
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Xie
- Institution of Population and Labor Economics, University of Chinese Academy of Social Science, Beijing, China
| | - Li-li Tang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Yuan-yang Wu
- School of Public Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhi-yun Li
- College of Politics and Public Administration, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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Lin K, Ning Y, Mumtaz A, Li H. Exploring the Relationships Between Four Aging Ideals: A Bibliometric Study. Front Public Health 2022; 9:762591. [PMID: 35127615 PMCID: PMC8814111 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.762591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
When examining research articles on the aging strategies, four ideals (i.e., successful aging, healthy aging, productive aging and active aging) could be explored by conducting bibliometric analyses. For the literature analysis, general information on the four aging ideals was understood through visualization analysis; the intellectual base and research hotspots were intuitively observed. CiteSpace was used as the method to conduct the co-occurrence analysis of keywords in order to obtain research trends and cutting-edge knowledge in the field of aging-related policies. Subsequently, the study revealed the nature of the link between these four aging ideals and disclosed the connection between their fundamental principles. The study ultimately enhanced the understanding of the diverse contexts that have impacted the way in which these ideals influence policy, which has caused dissimilar strategies for policy development. The study also extended the discussion of the definitions of and relationships between these four ideals with the goal of identifying new directions for aging-related practice and providing innovative insights and references for investigators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Lin
- College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Policy Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yumei Ning
- College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- School of Public Administration, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ayesha Mumtaz
- College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ayesha Mumtaz
| | - Hua Li
- School of Economics and Management, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
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Milhabet I, Dias P, Christophe V, Le Barbenchon E. Perceived trajectory of psychological and physical states after breast cancer: An optimistic perception. J Psychosoc Oncol 2021; 40:614-631. [PMID: 34847826 DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2021.1968095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In cancer research, studying the quality of life trajectory helps us understand the complaints but also the cognitive, physical, and emotional aspects that can evolve positively. Examining both the suffering and the improvements expressed by the patients facilitates their care and their recovery knowing that an optimistic perception of the future is important for adaptative functioning after cancer. Through retrospective, present and prospective measures, we sought to characterize the subjective trajectory perceived by women with breast cancer about their cognitive, emotional and physical states, as it relates to quality of life. METHODS Nine hundred ninety women survivors of breast cancer (after curative treatments) described, on the appropriate scales, their perceived cognitive, emotional and physical states over three periods of time: from past care (i.e., retrospective analysis) to the future (i.e., projective analysis), including the present period, as a function of their treatment (chemotherapy vs. no chemotherapy) and surgery (lumpectomy vs. mastectomy) using ANCOVA. RESULTS The 732 women who had received chemotherapy perceived the most significant consequences, regardless of the type of surgery (η2= .01). Moreover, all survivors expressed an optimistic perception of the change in their states in the anticipated future as a normative optimistic perception. CONCLUSIONS Results are discussed in terms of the benefits of specific and early interventions that enable patients to cope better with the disease and its treatments by taking into account their more or less optimistic perception of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Milhabet
- Laboratory LAPCOS 7278/EUR ODYSSEE, University of Cote d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Pierre Dias
- UMR CNRS 7300 Laboratory ESPACE, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
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Benefits of volunteerism for middle-aged and older adults: comparisons between types of volunteering activities. AGEING & SOCIETY 2021. [DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x21001665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Volunteering is a popular activity among middle-aged and older adults as means to contribute to the society and to maintain personal health and wellbeing. While the benefits of volunteering have been well-documented in the current literature, it does not tend to distinguish between various types of volunteering activities. This cross-sectional study aims to compare the effects of instrumental (e.g. food preparation, fundraising) and cognitively demanding volunteering activities (e.g. befriending, mentoring) in a sample of 487 middle-aged and older Hong Kong Chinese adults. Participation in instrumental and cognitively demanding volunteering, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning and hand-grip strength were measured. The results of two-way between-subject robust analyses of variance demonstrated significant main effects of volunteering type and their interaction effect with age on life satisfaction and depressive symptoms. Comparisons among four volunteering groups (no volunteering, instrumental volunteering, cognitively demanding volunteering and both types) revealed that individuals engaging in instrumental volunteering exhibited lower life satisfaction and more depressive symptoms compared to those who engaged in cognitively demanding volunteering and those who did not volunteer at all. This detrimental pattern of instrumental volunteering was only seen in middle-aged adults, but not in older adults. Findings of this study revealed distinctive effects of two volunteering types, and provide valuable directions for designing future volunteering programmes.
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Webster NJ, Ajrouch KJ, Antonucci TC. Volunteering and health: The role of social network change. Soc Sci Med 2021; 285:114274. [PMID: 34390978 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Levels of volunteering may differentially influence multiple dimensions of health among older adults. Further, increasing evidence indicates social networks represent critical bridging and bonding contexts for the volunteering-health link. This study examines two research questions: 1) does volunteering level (low, moderate, high) influence physical and mental health in the same ways? And 2) does social network change moderate this link? METHODS Data come from Waves 1 and 2 of the longitudinal Social Relations Study (n = 556) collected in 1992 and 2005 and the sub-sample of adults age 50 and older at Wave 2. Regression analyses predicting self-rated health and depressive symptoms were conducted to examine main effects of volunteering and moderating effects of social network change. RESULTS Volunteering at a moderate level (101-300 hours per year) was associated with fewer depressive symptoms compared to those not volunteering. Social network change moderated the association between volunteering and self-rated health. Among those reporting a decrease in the proportion of non-family in their network (decrease in bridging), a moderate level of volunteering was associated with better self-rated health. CONCLUSION While moderate levels of volunteering are associated with better mental health, the link to physical health is only present in the context of decreasing network bridging. Identifying specific circumstances under which volunteering is beneficial is critical for developing interventions to promote health for all, including those in mid and later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah J Webster
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA.
| | - Kristine J Ajrouch
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA; Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology, Eastern Michigan University, 900 Oakwood St, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, USA.
| | - Toni C Antonucci
- Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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Fenn N, Reyes C, Monahan K, Robbins ML. How Ready Are Young Adults to Participate in Community Service? An Application of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Am J Health Promot 2021; 36:64-72. [PMID: 34296641 DOI: 10.1177/08901171211034742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Engaging in community service, or unpaid work intended to help people in a community, is generally associated with greater overall well-being. However, the process of beginning and maintaining community service engagement has been sparsely examined. The current study applied the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of behavior change to understanding community service readiness among young adults. DESIGN Cross-sectional design using an online survey. SETTING Participants were undergraduate students recruited at a mid-sized Northeastern US university in Spring 2018. SAMPLE Participants (N = 314) had a mean age of 20.36 years (SD = 3.69), were primarily White (78%), female (72%), and from moderately high socioeconomic backgrounds (as measured by parental level of education). MEASURES Socio-demographics including age, gender, race-ethnicity, and parental level of education; readiness, pros, cons, and self-efficacy for community service; civic engagement behavior; well-being. ANALYSIS Participants were classified into very low (n = 62), low (n = 59), moderate (n = 92), high (n = 46), and very high (n = 55) readiness for community service groupings. A MANOVA was conducted to assess relationships between groupings and community service TTM constructs, civic engagement, and well-being. RESULTS There were significant differences between readiness groupings on all main outcome variables, F(20, 1012) = 10.34, p < .001; Wilks' Λ = 0.54, η2 = .14. Post-hoc Games-Howell tests showed that those exhibiting higher levels of readiness reported fewer cons, greater pros, higher self-efficacy, more overall civic engagement, and greater well-being compared to lower readiness individuals. CONCLUSION Consistent with previous TTM applications, self-efficacy and the importance of pros increased across readiness groupings while the importance of cons decreased. Study findings may be used to inform readiness-tailored interventional work for increasing community service. This area of study would benefit from longitudinal research examining community service readiness beyond the college environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Fenn
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Cheyenne Reyes
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Kathleen Monahan
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Mark L Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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Simmet A, Stroebele-Benschop N. Food Bank Operations during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany. JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2021.1943590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Simmet
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, Department of Nutritional Psychology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Nanette Stroebele-Benschop
- Institute of Nutritional Medicine, Department of Nutritional Psychology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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21
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Huo M, Kim K. Volunteering Dynamics and Life Satisfaction: Self-Perceptions of Aging as a Buffer. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 77:321-331. [PMID: 34115861 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Research has extensively documented the concurrent benefits of being a volunteer (versus a non-volunteer), but little is known about older adults who once served as a volunteer but then stopped at some point in their lives (i.e., former volunteers). The current study tracked changes in older adults' overall life satisfaction and compared these changes among former volunteers, continuous volunteers, and continuous non-volunteers. We also examined whether self-perceptions of aging may serve as a long-term psychological buffer and protect former volunteers' life satisfaction after they quit volunteering. METHOD Data were from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2016). A pooled sample of participants age 50+ (N = 10,441) indicated volunteer behaviors every other year, and we identified volunteering dynamics based on their volunteering history across 4 waves (8 years). Participants reported on self-perceptions of aging and life satisfaction in the Leave Behind Questionnaire once every 4 years. RESULTS Continuous volunteers reported greater subsequent life satisfaction than former volunteers and continuous non-volunteers 4 years later, when we adjusted for their baseline life satisfaction. Yet, the difference between continuous volunteers and former volunteers was absent among participants with more positive self-perceptions of aging. DISCUSSION This study reveals a potential discontinuity in the benefits of volunteering as older adults transition out of their volunteer activities. Findings, however, also reveal individual differences by self-perceptions of aging, offering suggestive evidence that may refine interventions to prolong the benefits of volunteering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Huo
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis
| | - Kyungmin Kim
- Department of Child Development and Family Studies, Seoul National University
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22
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Aspects of formal volunteering that contribute to favourable psychological outcomes in older adults. Eur J Ageing 2021; 19:107-116. [PMID: 35250422 PMCID: PMC8881533 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-021-00618-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there is a large body of evidence documenting the benefits of engagement in formal volunteering among older people, research assessing the specific aspects of the volunteering experience that are associated with these benefits is limited. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to (i) examine the aspects of volunteering that predict improvements or declines in older people's psychological outcomes over time and (ii) assess the extent to which demographic characteristics and time spent engaging in informal volunteering moderate the relationship between aspects of volunteering and potential outcomes. At Time 1, non-volunteering Australian older adults completed measures assessing their subjective well-being, eudemonic well-being, and psychological resources and were asked to commence volunteering. At Time 2 (six months later), participants completed the same measures and reported on their volunteering experiences. Among the 108 older adults who provided usable data at both time points (average age = 69.86 years, 64% women), the degree to which participants felt overwhelmed by their volunteer work significantly predicted declines in subjective well-being and psychological resources. The perceived importance of the cause for which participants reported volunteering and the perceived meaningfulness of the specific activities undertaken predicted improvements in these outcomes. Volunteering roles for older adults that (i) are not considered overwhelming, (ii) fulfil their desire to volunteer for a cause about which they are genuinely concerned, and (iii) involve activities perceived to be meaningful are likely to produce the favourable psychological outcomes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-021-00618-6.
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Han SH, Kim K, Burr JA. Stress-Buffering Effects of Volunteering on Daily Well-Being: Evidence From the National Study of Daily Experiences. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 75:1731-1740. [PMID: 31111935 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbz052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Building on theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence linking volunteering and well-being in later life, we investigated the associations between daily engagement in formal volunteering, stressors, and negative and positive affect, focusing on the stress-buffering effect of volunteering. METHODS We used 8 days of daily diary data from the second wave of the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE II), a national survey of middle-aged and older adults (participant N = 1,320; participant-day observation N = 8,277). A series of multilevel models were estimated to assess the within-person associations between daily volunteering, stressors, and affect. RESULTS A direct link between daily volunteering and affect was not discovered. However, we found that the association between daily stressors and negative affect (but not positive affect) was weaker on days when volunteering was performed compared to days volunteering was not performed. DISCUSSION Our findings suggested that the stress-buffering effect of volunteering contributes to improved emotional well-being for participants who volunteered on a daily basis. Future studies should investigate whether such stress-buffering effects are present for other forms of helping behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Hwang Han
- Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston
| | - Kyungmin Kim
- Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston
| | - Jeffrey A Burr
- Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston
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Matthews K, Nazroo J. The Impact of Volunteering and Its Characteristics on Well-being After State Pension Age: Longitudinal Evidence From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:632-641. [PMID: 32888024 PMCID: PMC7887733 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Volunteering after retirement age is beneficial to well-being. This study furthers previous research by presenting a longitudinal analysis of the well-being of volunteers, compared to non-volunteers, based on characteristics of the voluntary work in which they participate. METHOD Participants were 3,740 people aged State Pension Age and over from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Longitudinal regression models were used to determine whether frequent volunteers saw beneficial changes in well-being (depression, satisfaction with life, CASP-19, and social isolation) compared to non-volunteers. The initial model used a hierarchical approach so that we could also examine the impact of social and health factors. Models were then run to determine whether well-being in relation to volunteering was influenced by its continuity, the number of activities engaged in, whether the volunteering was formal or informal in nature, and whether or not the respondent reported feeling appreciated for their efforts. RESULTS Although sociodemographic and health circumstances reduce the magnitude of the effects of volunteering on well-being, the effect of volunteering remained significant in almost all analyses. The beneficial effect of volunteering appeared to stop among respondents who stopped volunteering between waves. The best outcomes were observed among those participating in higher numbers of activities, regardless of whether or not these were classed as formal or informal, and who felt appreciated for their work. DISCUSSION Certain aspects of volunteering might be especially beneficial to the well-being of older people. That these effects stop when volunteering stops suggest a causal element to this relationship.
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Furtak A, Barnard A. Flourishing in trying circumstances: A hermeneutic phenomenological exploration of volunteer well-being. SA JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.4102/sajip.v47i0.1809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
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Jin L, Van Yperen NW, Sanderman R, Hagedoorn M. Depressive symptoms and unmitigated communion in support providers. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/per.741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In this research, we argue and demonstrate that the association between enacted (un)supportive behaviour and depressive symptoms is a function of the providers' levels of unmitigated communion (UC). UC is characterized by overinvolvement in others' problems, self‐neglect and externalized self‐evaluation. These characteristics appear to predispose individuals high in UC to experience depressive symptoms. As anticipated, we show that enacted supportive behaviour was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (Study 1 and 2), and enacted unsupportive behaviour was positively associated with depressive symptoms (Study 2), but only among individuals low in UC. Our findings are consistent with the idea that for high UC individuals, enacting supportive behaviour, or not enacting unsupportive behaviour, is insufficient to reduce their high levels of depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Jin
- Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nico W. Van Yperen
- Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Robbert Sanderman
- Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Mariët Hagedoorn
- Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
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Filges T, Siren A, Fridberg T, Nielsen BCV. Voluntary work for the physical and mental health of older volunteers: A systematic review. CAMPBELL SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS 2020; 16:e1124. [PMID: 37016617 PMCID: PMC8356337 DOI: 10.1002/cl2.1124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Background The increasing imbalance between the number of older adults not working and the number of adults in the age range of labour force participation (age range 20-64) has long been a fundamental public policy challenge in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries. At a societal level, this growing imbalance raises serious concerns about the viability and funding of social security, pensions and health programmes. At an individual level, the concern is probably more that of aging well with the prospect of many years in retirement. Some research suggests that retiring for some carries the risk of a fast decline in health. Volunteering can play a significant role in people's lives as they transition from work to retirement, as it offers a "structured" means of making a meaningful contribution in society once the opportunity to do so through work has been cut off. Some older people consider voluntary work as a way to replicate aspects of paid work lost upon retirement, such as organisational structure and time discipline. In many countries, volunteering of the older adults is increasing and programmes designed specifically for this subpopulation are emerging. Volunteering may contribute to both individuals aging well and society aging well, as volunteering by the older adults at the same time relieves the societal burden if it helps maintain health and functionality for those who volunteer. It thus remains to be established to what extent volunteering impacts on the physical and mental health of those who volunteer. Objectives The main objective of this review is to answer the following research question: what are the effects of volunteering on the physical and mental health of people aged 65 years or older? Search Strategy Relevant studies were identified through electronic searches of bibliographic databases, governmental and grey literature repositories, hand search in specific targeted journals, citation tracking, contact to international experts and internet search engines. The database searches were carried out to December 2018 and other resources were searched in September 2019 and October 2019. We searched to identify both published and unpublished literature. The searches were international in scope. Reference lists of included studies and relevant reviews were also searched. Selection Criteria The intervention of interest was formal volunteering which can be described as voluntary, on-going, planned, helping behaviour that intend to increase the well-being of strangers, offers no monetary compensation and typically occurs within an organisational context. We included older people aged 65 or over who are engaged in formal voluntary work. The primary focus was on measures of physical and mental health. All study designs that used a well-defined control group were eligible for inclusion. Studies that utilised qualitative approaches were not included. Data Collection and Analysis The total number of potential relevant studies constituted 17,046 hits. A total of 90 studies, met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised by the review authors. The 90 studies analysed 47 different populations. Only 26 studies (analysing 19 different populations) could be used in the data synthesis. Forty-six studies could not be used in the data synthesis as they were judged to have too high risk of bias and, in accordance with the protocol, were excluded from the meta-analysis on the basis that they would be more likely to mislead than inform. Eighteen studies did not provide enough information enabling us to calculate an effects size and standard error or did not provide results in a form enabling us to use it in the data synthesis. Finally, of the 26 studies that could be used in the data synthesis, two pairs of studies used the same two data sets and reported on the same outcome(s), thus in addition two studies were not used in the data synthesis.Meta-analysis of both physical health outcomes and mental health outcomes were conducted on each metric separately. All analyses were inverse variance weighted using random effects statistical models that incorporate both the sampling variance and between study variance components into the study level weights. Random effects weighted mean effect sizes were calculated using 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Sensitivity analysis was carried out by restricting the meta-analysis to a subset of all studies included in the original meta-analysis and was used to evaluate whether the pooled effect sizes were robust across components of risk of bias. Results The 24 studies (analysing 19 different populations), used for meta analysis were from Australia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea and United States, three were a randomised controlled trial and 21 were NRS. The baseline time period (the year the voluntary work that was analysed was measured) spanned by the included studies is 30 years, from 1984 to 2014 and on average the baseline year was 2001. On average the number of follow up years was 5, although with great variation from 0 to 25 years. The average number of volunteers analysed (not reported in four studies) was 2,369, ranging from 15 to 27,131 and the average number of controls was 13,581, ranging from 13 to 217.297. In total the average number of participants analysed was 14,566, ranging from 28 to 244.428.Ten studies analysed the effect of voluntary work on mortality, however, eight studies reported a hazard ratio and two studies reported an odds ratio. We analysed these two types of effect sizes separately. A hazard ratio <1 indicates that the treated, the volunteers is favoured. That is, the conditional mortality rate is lower for volunteers. All reported results indicated an effect favouring the volunteers, primary study effect sizes lied in the range 0.67-0.91. The random effects weighted mean hazard ratio was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.72-0.80) and statistically significant. The two studies that reported odds ratios of mortality supported this result. There was no heterogeneity between the studies in either of the meta analyses.Three studies analysed the effect of voluntary work on incident functional disability, using a hazard ratio as effect measure. All reported results indicated an effect favouring the volunteers, primary study effect sizes lied in the range 0.70-0.99. The random effects weighted mean hazard ratio was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.72-0.97) and statistically significant. There was a small amount of heterogeneity between the studies.Two studies analysed the effect of voluntary work on decline in instrumental activities of daily living, using an odds ratio as effect measure. Both reported results indicated an effect favouring the volunteers (0.63 and 0.83). The random effects weighted mean odds ratio was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.53-1.01) and not statistically significant. There is no heterogeneity between the two studies.Three studies analysed the effect of voluntary work on maintenance of functional competence, using an odds ratio as effect measure. All reported results indicated an effect favouring the volunteers, primary study effect sizes lied in the range 0.67-0.83. The random effects weighted mean odds ratio was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.70-0.94) and statistically significant. There is no heterogeneity between the studies.In addition a number of other physical outcomes were reported in a single study only.Three studies analysed the effect of voluntary work on depression, and reported results that enabled the calculation of standardised mean difference (SMD) and variance. The effect sizes are measured such that a positive effect size favours the volunteers. All reported results indicated an effect favouring the volunteers, primary study effect sizes lied in the range 0.05-0.66. The random effects weighted SMD was 0.12 (95% CI, 0.00-0.23) and statistically significant. There is a very small amount of heterogeneity between the studies.In addition, a number of other mental health outcomes were reported in a single study only.We did not find any adverse effects.There were no appreciable changes in the results across components of risk of bias as indicated by the sensitivity analysis. Authors' Conclusions The review aimed to examine effects on all types of physical and mental health outcomes. With the exception of mortality, there was insufficient evidence available. The available evidence, however, does suggest that there is an effect on the mortality of volunteers, although the effect is small. We found evidence that voluntary work reduces the mortality hazard of the volunteers aged 65 and above. The effect corresponds to a 43% chance of the volunteers dying first which should be compared to a fifty-fifty chance (50%) of dying first if the intervention had no effect. The evidence seems robust in the sense that we did not find any heterogeneity between the studies. As the intervention, unlike most other interventions in the social welfare area, is not costly, it could be prescribed to more older adults. In fact as the intervention in contrary to carrying a cost is a productive activity contributing directly to community well-being and has a positive effect on the volunteers it probably should be prescribed universally. However, due to the very nature of the intervention, it is voluntary and it cannot be prescribed. But more people could be encouraged to take up voluntary work if the opportunity was immediately available and visible.
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Jiang D, Hosking D, Burns R, Anstey KJ. Volunteering benefits life satisfaction over 4 years: The moderating role of social network size. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ajpy.12217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Da Jiang
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China,
- Integrated Centre for Wellbeing (I‐WELL), Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China,
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China,
| | - Diane Hosking
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia,
| | - Richard Burns
- Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, Research School of Population, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia,
| | - Kaarin J. Anstey
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia,
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia,
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Kragt D, Holtrop D. Volunteering research in Australia: A narrative review. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ajpy.12251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Darja Kragt
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,
| | - Djurre Holtrop
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,
- Faculty of Business and Law, Future of Work Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia,
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Abstract
The purpose of the study is to analyze employee volunteerism. This issue had not been studied on a broader international level earlier. This research firstly discovers altruism and volunteerism values in the economy. Then, based on the third-party model, observes each part, where participants are the (1) volunteer (employee) (2) company (and its CSR activity) and (3) an external organization, which manages this type of formal volunteerism. Each participant was analyzed through comprehensive analysis using descriptive and inference statistics and classification methods on complex, extensive secondary databases. Altogether, more than 10,000 respondents’ answers are examined from two worldwide surveys, and further ten international statistical indicators and indices are explored. These methods result in volunteer characteristics on a personal level, afterwards in country classification, which provides a cultural comparison of the employee volunteerism. Our findings prove that demographical differences do not, but company-level actions influence the intensity of formal volunteerism. Moreover, three main clusters (formed from 43 countries) show different values. This diversity might partly be caused by measurement fragmentations and lack of internationally accepted definitions and theories. This paper aims to provide a broader overview of the topic, which might be a useful starting point for the forthcoming aggregated conceptualization. Employee volunteers’ behavior arises from the personal value of volunteerism. However, the attendance and intensity of voluntary activity are primarily influenced by the environment (e.g., life period, living and working situation). Employee volunteerism programs are an important and essential part of CSR at the company level, and strongly frames this activity, where employee volunteerism could associate each participant’s interests and improve their values. However, the practices may differ in each country and in each sector. The current pandemic rewrote the traditional volunteerism model and our projection. The last chapter provides a preliminary study about how employee volunteerism could work in this extraordinary, COVID-19 situation.
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Stavrova O, Ren D. Is More Always Better? Examining the Nonlinear Association of Social Contact Frequency With Physical Health and Longevity. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/1948550620961589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Frequent social contact has been associated with better health and longer life. It remains unclear though whether there is an optimal contact frequency, beyond which contact is no longer positively associated with health and longevity. The present research explored this question by examining nonlinear associations of social contact frequency with health and longevity. Study 1 ( N ∼ 350,000) demonstrated that once the frequency of social contact reached a moderate level (monthly or weekly), its positive association with health flattened out. Study 2 ( N ∼ 50,000) extended these findings to longitudinal and mortality data: Although low contact frequency was associated with poor health and low survival rates, increasing the frequency of social interactions beyond a moderate level (monthly or weekly) was no longer associated with better health and longevity and, in some cases, was even related to worse health and increased mortality risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Stavrova
- Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University, the Netherland
| | - Dongning Ren
- Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University, the Netherland
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Jongenelis MI, Pettigrew S. Aspects of the volunteering experience associated with well-being in older adults. Health Promot J Austr 2020; 32 Suppl 2:384-390. [PMID: 32767609 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
ISSUES ADDRESSED While the psychological health benefits of older people's engagement in formal volunteering are well-documented, there is limited research assessing how volunteering may produce these favourable outcomes. To guide the development of volunteer positions that optimise outcomes, this study examined (a) which aspects of the volunteering experience are most strongly associated with favourable psychological health among older adults and (b) whether relationships between these aspects and psychological outcomes are moderated by sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS A sample of 293 volunteers aged 60+ years (69% female, mean age = 73.33 years) completed measures assessing their engagement in volunteering, various aspects of their volunteer experience, and their psychological health. RESULTS Being adequately appreciated for one's contribution, perceived social and mental intensity of the volunteer role, and believing that others benefit from one's volunteering efforts were found to be associated with higher levels of psychological health. CONCLUSIONS Ensuring the contributions of volunteers are explicitly recognised, providing opportunities for engagement in social and cognitive activities, and informing volunteers of the benefits others experience constitute potential means of enhancing volunteer outcomes and may assist with volunteer retention. SO WHAT?: This study builds upon the limited research assessing which aspects of the volunteering experience are most strongly associated with favourable psychological health among older adults. The findings point to the potential importance of four specific aspects of the volunteer experience in enhancing psychological health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle I Jongenelis
- Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Simone Pettigrew
- The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia.,School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Buratti S, Geisler M, Allwood CM. The Association Between Prosocialness, Relational-Interdependent Self-construal and Gender in Relation to Burnout Among Swedish Clergy. REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS RESEARCH 2020; 62:583-602. [PMID: 32836473 PMCID: PMC7327211 DOI: 10.1007/s13644-020-00420-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Serving as a clergyperson is a highly variable profession and in recent decades, the role has evolved and expanded even further. Consequently, the demands have increased and with it the risk for stress-related ill-health and absenteeism. The aim of the current study was to evaluate, in a larger sample of Swedish clergy (N = 871), two possible antecedents of burnout, namely prosocialness and relational-interdependent self-construal. A further aim was to explore potential gender differences in the investigated associations. The direct and indirect relationships of prosocialness and relational-interdependent self-construal to two dimensions of burnout, exhaustion, and disengagement were investigated in a structural equation-modelling framework. The results showed that clergy who reported higher prosocialness experienced more stress in their work, in terms of both quantitative and emotional demands, which in turn was associated with higher levels of exhaustion and disengagement. But prosocialness was also found to be directly associated with lower levels of disengagement, as well as indirectly associated with higher levels of role clarity. However, no direct or indirect associations were found between relational-interdependent self-construal and any dimension of burnout. Regarding gender differences, female clergy reported higher levels of prosocialness and job demands, less role clarity, and in turn more exhaustion compared to male clergy. This indicated a more stressful situation for female clergy. Our study contributes new insights into the role that personality plays in different dimensions of burnout in clergy, as well as insights into an understanding of gender differences in burnout among clergy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Buratti
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martin Geisler
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carl Martin Allwood
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
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Han SH, Roberts JS, Mutchler JE, Burr JA. Volunteering, polygenic risk for Alzheimer's disease, and cognitive functioning among older adults. Soc Sci Med 2020; 253:112970. [PMID: 32278238 PMCID: PMC7527033 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In the context of the public health burden posed by increases in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) prevalence around the globe and the related research efforts to identify modifiable risk factors for the disease, we sought to provide an empirical test of earlier claims that volunteering may be considered as a health intervention that could help to prevent or delay the onset of AD. METHOD Using nine waves of panel data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (n=9,697), we examined whether volunteering conferred cognitive health benefits in later life and whether volunteering served a gene-regulatory function to help alleviate cognitive decline associated with polygenic risk for AD. Multilevel models were used to estimate associations between volunteering, polygenic risk for AD, and cognitive functioning over time. RESULTS We found robust within-person associations between volunteering (assessed as volunteer status and time commitment) and cognitive functioning over time, such that volunteering was associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning and slower cognitive decline. The findings also provided evidence that the within-person associations for volunteering and cognitive decline were more pronounced for older adults at higher genetic risk for developing AD. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are in line with a growing body of theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence suggesting that prosocial behaviors are directly associated with biological systems and may modify gene regulation to confer health benefits. The analytic approach taken in this study also provided a useful framework for investigating the effectiveness of other modifiable risk factors that vary over time in the context of cognitive decline related to genetic risk for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sae Hwang Han
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton St., Stop A2702, Austin, TX, 78712-1248, United States.
| | - J Scott Roberts
- Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109-2029, United States.
| | - Jan E Mutchler
- Department of Gerontology, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA, 02125, United States.
| | - Jeffrey A Burr
- Department of Gerontology, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA, 02125, United States.
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Xu LP, Wu YS, Yu JJ, Zhou J. The Influence of Volunteers' Psychological Capital: Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment, and Joint Moderating Effect of Role Identification and Perceived Social Support. Front Psychol 2020; 11:673. [PMID: 32390906 PMCID: PMC7189123 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study explores the relationship between volunteers' psychological capital and their commitment to volunteering. We tested whether volunteers' psychological capital had a positive predictive effect on volunteering and whether this effect was mediated by organizational commitment, role identification, or perceived social support. A sample of 1165 volunteers who were registered in the national volunteer service information system of China were recruited in the study. The results showed a significant and positive relationship between volunteers' psychological capital, volunteering, role identification, perceived social support, and organizational commitment. Volunteers' psychological capital not only had a direct effect on volunteering but also affected volunteering through the mediating role of organizational commitment. Additionally, the influence of the volunteers' psychological capital on organizational commitment was affected by the joint moderated effect of role identification and perceived social support. Volunteers with low role identification and low perceived social support, high role identification and low perceived social support, and low role identification and high perceived social support committed to their volunteer organization faster when they had a high level of psychological capital; whereas, volunteers with high role identification and high perceived social support committed to their volunteer organization faster when they had a low level of psychological capital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li ping Xu
- Department of Social Science, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yu shen Wu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing jing Yu
- Department of Social Science, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Police Management, Sichuan Police College, Luzhou, China
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Estrella ML, Kelley MA, Durazo-Arvizu RA, Gallo LC, Chambers EC, Perreira KM, Zeng D, Giachello AL, Isasi CR, Wu D, Lash JP, Daviglus ML. Volunteerism and Cardiovascular Health: The HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study. HEALTH BEHAVIOR AND POLICY REVIEW 2020; 7:120-135. [PMID: 33575402 PMCID: PMC7875250 DOI: 10.14485/hbpr.7.2.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to examine the association between volunteerism and favorable cardiovascular health (CVH) among Hispanics/Latinos living in the US. METHODS Data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (2008-2011) Sociocultural Ancillary Study were used (N = 4,926; ages 18-74 years). Favorable CVH was defined as positive profiles of all major CVD risk factors: low total serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index; not having diabetes; and not smoking. Survey-weighted logistic regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and psychological factors. In secondary analyses, we tested whether the volunteerism-CVH association was modified by sex, age, or years lived in the US (<10 vs. ≥10 years; a proxy acculturation measure). RESULTS Prevalence of volunteerism was 14.5%. Compared to non-volunteers, volunteers had 1.67 higher odds of favorable CVH in the fully-adjusted model (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.67, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.11, 2.52). There was evidence of effect modification by acculturation; only volunteers who had lived in the US ≥10 years had 2.41 higher odds of favorable CVH (OR = 2.41, 95% CI=1.53, 3.80). There was no evidence of effect modification by sex or age. CONCLUSIONS Volunteerism was associated with favorable CVH among US Hispanics/Latinos.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Donglin Zeng
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | | | | | - Donghong Wu
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
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Qu H, Konrath S, Poulin M. Which types of giving are associated with reduced mortality risk among older adults? PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2019.109668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Burr JA, Han S, Lee HJ, Tavares JL, Mutchler JE. Health Benefits Associated With Three Helping Behaviors: Evidence for Incident Cardiovascular Disease. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2019. [PMID: 28637329 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between three helping behaviors and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD; heart attack, stroke; fatal and nonfatal), with an exploration of gender differences. The study is framed within the caregiving system model. Helping others is argued to be an evolved characteristic of humans that yields beneficial health effects. Methods Data were taken from the 2004-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. The three forms of helping others considered were formal volunteering, informal helping, and caregiving for a parent or spouse. Cox proportional hazards models were estimated for gender-stratified samples. Results Women who volunteered showed a lower risk of incident CVD compared to women who did not volunteer. Men who informally helped others in the community exhibited a lower risk of incident CVD compared to men who did not provide this form of help. Caregiving status was generally not associated with incident CVD for women or men. Discussion The results demonstrated that specific types of prosocial behavior may be beneficial for women and men. However, tests for effect differences showed that gender did not moderate the relationships between these helping behaviors and CVD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Burr
- Department of Gerontology, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston
| | - Saehwang Han
- Department of Gerontology, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston
| | - Hyo Jung Lee
- School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Jane L Tavares
- Department of Gerontology, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston
| | - Jan E Mutchler
- Department of Gerontology, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston
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Carr DC, Kail BL, Matz-Costa C, Shavit YZ. Does Becoming A Volunteer Attenuate Loneliness Among Recently Widowed Older Adults? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2019; 73:501-510. [PMID: 28977483 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Loneliness is a significant public health concern, particularly for those who have lost a spouse through widowhood. This study examines whether becoming a volunteer at the time of widowhood is associated with reduction of these risks. Method A pooled sample of 5,882 married adults age 51+, drawn from the 2006-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, was used to estimate regression models of the relationship between becoming widowed (relative to staying continuously married) and loneliness, and whether the associated loneliness of having lost a spouse is moderated by starting to volunteer (<2 hr, 2+ hr/week). Results Our results show that for those who become widowed, loneliness is significantly higher than those who stay continuously married. However, starting to volunteer 2+ hr per week is related to attenuated loneliness among the widowed such that widows who volunteer at that intensity have levels of loneliness similar to those of continuously married individuals volunteering at the same intensity. Discussion This study suggests higher intensity volunteering may be a particularly important pathway for alleviating loneliness among older adults who have recently become widowed. Results are discussed in light of theory, future research, and potential interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn C Carr
- Department of Sociology and the Pepper Center on Aging and Public Policy, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | | | - Christina Matz-Costa
- School of Social Work and the Center on Aging and Work, Boston College, Massachusetts
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Huang LH. Well-being and volunteering: Evidence from aging societies in Asia. Soc Sci Med 2019; 229:172-180. [PMID: 30245140 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Hsuan Huang
- 300 Chungda Road, Department of Economics, National Central University, Chungli 320, Taiwan.
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Lee K, Kim D, Gilligan M, Martin P. The effects of subjective life expectancy on volunteerism in older adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/0165025419830238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies used chronological age to examine the relationship between aging and volunteerism. In the current study, we examined the influence of subjective life expectancy (SLE) on volunteering based on the socioemotional selectivity theory emphasizing that older adults focus on very close relationships. Data of 11,203 older adults, 55 to 74 years old ( M = 65.0, SD = 5.6), from five waves (2006–2014) of the Health and Retirement Study were included. Growth curve modeling results showed that older adults with higher SLE scores at baseline not only spent more time volunteering but also showed a slower decrease in volunteering over time. Furthermore, changes in older adults’ SLE were associated with a change in volunteering. The findings may show the relative importance of close relationships and social activities for older adults and contribute to demystifying the differences shown in the volunteer participation among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyuho Lee
- Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Dahee Kim
- Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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Flennert M, König HH, Hajek A. The association between voluntary work and health care use among older adults in Germany. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:39. [PMID: 30646900 PMCID: PMC6334381 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-3867-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective While most studies focused on the relation between volunteering and health-related outcomes, little attention has been given on the association between volunteering and the use of health care services. Thus, with this analysis we aimed at exploring whether and how the voluntary work of older adults is related to the utilization of health care services in Germany. Methods The analysis was based on data from the German Ageing Survey (DEAS), a nationally representative, longitudinal study of the German population aged 40 years and older. Focusing on volunteering, data from the waves 2002, 2008 and 2011 was used. Voluntary work in groups and organizations (yes/no) was used as explanatory variable. To quantify health care utilization, visits to general practitioners and specialists as well as nights in the hospital in the past 12 months were used. Fixed effects regressions were applied to estimate the association between volunteering and the outcome variables. Results Regressions revealed that the onset of volunteer involvement was associated with an increase in specialist visits, whereas volunteering did not affect visits to general practitioners and the probability of hospitalization significantly. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the relation between volunteering and specialist visits. Future research is needed to examine the impact of volunteering on health care use, taking more detailed information regarding the specific context of volunteering as well as personality factors and personal background into consideration. This might be reasonable in advancing the knowledge about this association and in developing planned interventions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-3867-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike Flennert
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - André Hajek
- Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
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Dynamics of Volunteering and Life Satisfaction in Midlife and Old Age: Findings from 12 European Countries. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci7050078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Abstract
ABSTRACTThis study aims to assess racial differences in subjective wellbeing (SWB) and to examine whether the pathways of social support and social engagement to SWB vary by racial groups in the United States of America. Using a local sample (N = 1,035) and a nationally representative sample of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 7,718), we compared life satisfaction and happiness between non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks aged 55 and over. We evaluated the extent to which race, other socio-demographic characteristics, health, social engagement and social support explained the variances in SWB and examined the moderation effects of race on the relationships of SWB with age, social support and social engagement. Multiple regression analyses showed that non-Hispanic Blacks were at least as satisfied as, and even happier than White peers, after equalising social resources and health variables. Social support was significantly related to SWB, and it seemed that positive support was more important to Whites than to Blacks in predicting life satisfaction. In addition, the racial crossover effect existed, that is, the old-old (80+) Blacks were happier than their White peers. Findings indicate a national trend of the race paradox in SWB and underscore the importance of social support in promoting older adults’ wellbeing. Future research is recommended to investigate other potential mechanisms among Black older Americans to explain their relatively better SWB.
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Fang S, Galambos NL, Johnson MD, Krahn HJ. Happiness is the way. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/0165025417711056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Directional associations between civic engagement and happiness were explored with longitudinal data from a community sample surveyed four times from age 22 to 43 ( n = 690). Autoregressive cross-lagged models, controlling for cross-time stabilities in happiness and civic engagement, examined whether happiness predicted future civic engagement, civic engagement predicted future happiness, or the temporal ordering was bidirectional. Marital status, parental status, and recent unemployment experience were included as time-varying covariates of civic engagement, and analyses controlled for parent education, self-esteem, and self-rated physical health at age 18. Results indicated consistent cross-lagged associations from higher happiness to higher future civic engagement. There was no support for the path from civic engagement to future happiness, nor for bidirectional associations. Parenthood at age 22 predicted lower civic engagement, while parenthood at ages 32 and 43 predicted higher civic engagement. Recent unemployment experience was associated with less civic engagement at age 32 but more engagement at age 43, and marital status was linked with more civic engagement at age 43. Results support a broaden-and-build theoretical perspective in which happiness predicts future civic engagement across the transition to adulthood and into midlife.
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Willems J, Dury S. Reasons for not volunteering: overcoming boundaries to attract volunteers. SERVICE INDUSTRIES JOURNAL 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/02642069.2017.1318381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jurgen Willems
- Management of Public, Private and Nonprofit Organizations, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Dury
- Department of Psychology and Educational Science, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium
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Age-Friendliness and Life Satisfaction of Young-Old and Old-Old in Hong Kong. Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res 2017; 2017:6215917. [PMID: 28348584 PMCID: PMC5350395 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6215917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-friendliness, promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to enable and support individuals in different aspects of life for fostering life satisfaction and personal well-being as they age. We identified specific aspect(s) of age-friendliness associated with life satisfaction and examined similarities and differences in age-friendliness and life satisfaction in young-old and old-old adults. Six hundred and eighty-two ageing adults were asked to complete a survey questionnaire consisting of the Age-friendly City Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and sociodemographic variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of various domains of age-friendliness on life satisfaction among the young-old adults (aged 65 to 74, n = 351) and the old-old adults (aged 75 to 97, n = 331). Common domains associated with life satisfaction in both young-old and old-old groups were transportation and social participation. Community and health services were associated with life satisfaction for the young-old group only. On the other hand, civic participation and employment was significantly associated with the old-old group only. Social participation is important for the young-old and the old-old. Ageing older adults can be a resource to the society. Implications for promoting and implementing age-friendliness were discussed in the context of successful and productive ageing and the need for a more refined taxonomy of social activities.
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Griep Y, Hanson LM, Vantilborgh T, Janssens L, Jones SK, Hyde M. Can volunteering in later life reduce the risk of dementia? A 5-year longitudinal study among volunteering and non-volunteering retired seniors. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173885. [PMID: 28301554 PMCID: PMC5354395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose that voluntary work, characterized by social, physical and cognitive activity in later life is associated with fewer cognitive problems and lower dementia rates. We test these assumptions using 3-wave, self-reported, and registry data from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 Swedish National Prescribed Drug Register. We had three groups of seniors in our data: 1) no volunteering (N = 531), 2) discontinuous volunteering (N = 220), and 3) continuous volunteering (N = 250). We conducted a path analysis in Mplus to investigate the effect of voluntary work (discontinuously and continuously) on self-reported cognitive complaints and the likelihood of being prescribed an anti-dementia treatment after controlling for baseline and relevant background variables. Our results indicated that seniors, who continuously volunteered, reported a decrease in their cognitive complaints over time, whereas no such associations were found for the other groups. In addition, they were 2.44 (95%CI [1.86; 3.21]) and 2.46 (95%CI [1,89; 3.24]) times less likely to be prescribed an anti-dementia treatment in 2012 and 2014, respectively. Our results largely support the assumptions that voluntary work in later life is associated with lower self-reported cognitive complaints and a lower risk for dementia, relative to those who do not engage, or only engage episodically in voluntary work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Griep
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | | | - Tim Vantilborgh
- Work and Organizational Psychology (WOPs), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium
| | | | | | - Martin Hyde
- Centre for Innovative Ageing, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
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Johnson SS. The Art of Health Promotion ideas for improving health outcomes. Am J Health Promot 2017; 31:163-164. [DOI: 10.1177/0890117117691705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Kragh G, Stafford R, Curtin S, Diaz A. Environmental volunteer well-being: Managers' perception and actual well-being of volunteers. F1000Res 2017; 5:2679. [PMID: 28184285 PMCID: PMC5288684 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.10016.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Environmental volunteering can increase well-being, but environmental volunteer well-being has rarely been compared to participant well-being associated with other types of volunteering or nature-based activities. This paper aims to use a multidimensional approach to well-being to explore the immediately experienced and later remembered well-being of environmental volunteers and to compare this to the increased well-being of participants in other types of nature-based activities and volunteering. Furthermore, it aims to compare volunteer managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being with the self-reported well-being of the volunteers.
Methods: Onsite surveys were conducted of practical conservation and biodiversity monitoring volunteers, as well as their control groups (walkers and fieldwork students, respectively), to measure general well-being before their nature-based activity and activity-related well-being immediately after their activity. Online surveys of current, former and potential volunteers and volunteer managers measured remembered volunteering-related well-being and managers’ perceptions of their volunteers’ well-being. Data were analysed based on Seligman’s multidimensional PERMA (‘positive emotion’, ‘engagement’, ‘positive relationship’, ‘meaning’, ‘achievement’) model of well-being. Factor analysis recovered three of the five PERMA elements, ‘engagement’, ‘relationship’ and ‘meaning’, as well as ‘negative emotion’ and ‘health’ as factors.
Results: Environmental volunteering significantly improved positive elements and significantly decreased negative elements of participants’ immediate well-being, and it did so more than walking or student fieldwork. Even remembering their volunteering up to six months later, volunteers rated their volunteering-related well-being higher than volunteers rated their well-being generally in life. However, volunteering was not found to have an effect on overall mean well-being generally in life. Volunteer managers did not perceive the significant increase in well-being that volunteers reported.
Conclusions: This study showed how environmental volunteering immediately improved participants’ well-being, even more than other nature-based activities. It highlights the benefit of regarding well-being as a multidimensional construct to more systematically understand, support and enhance volunteer well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitte Kragh
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Rick Stafford
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Susanna Curtin
- Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Anita Diaz
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
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