Psychosocial factors influencing volunteering motivation: A pilot study in a Taiwanese healthcare volunteer program.

Volunteers of various ages and backgrounds are an essential contribution to society in countries worldwide. In Taiwan, the healthcare sector greatly benefits from volunteers which are mostly elderly individuals. In this study, we examine the various psychosocial factors that prompt volunteers within...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 382 - 393
Main Authors:	Huang, Garry, Wang, Jong-Yi, Chien, Chia-Hui, Clinciu, Daniel L.
Format:	Article
Published:	Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2023
Subjects:	Health care industry Pilot projects Well-being Recognition (Psychology) Friendship Motivation (Psychology) Work Self-perception Research methodology Community health services Families Medical care costs Quantitative research Volunteers Cronbach's alpha Psychosocial factors Experiential learning Loneliness Interpersonal relations Scale analysis (Psychology) Statistical sampling Data analysis software Volunteer service Health care rationing Taiwan
Online Access:	View this record in EBSCOhost

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Summary:	Volunteers of various ages and backgrounds are an essential contribution to society in countries worldwide. In Taiwan, the healthcare sector greatly benefits from volunteers which are mostly elderly individuals. In this study, we examine the various psychosocial factors that prompt volunteers within Taiwan's healthcare sector to set aside their time and resources for this important activity. A total of 144 valid surveys containing 19 questions relevant to the healthcare volunteering experience were collected from participants. The Cronbach's Alpha for this pilot study was 0.8988. Participants expressed among important motivating factors the following: serving the community, improved well-being and health, recognition among friends and family, connections, avoiding loneliness, and a feeling of self-worth. Our study revealed some important motivating factors prompting individuals in society to dedicate their time and resources to volunteer in Taiwan's healthcare sector, contributing to the reduction of healthcare costs and benefiting society in many ways.