How time exposure, role engagement and task essence ("3E") of volunteering interact to associate with healthy aging: a cross-sectional mixed-method study in Hong Kong.
Objectives This study introduces the 3E framework of volunteering, including time exposure (e.g. volunteering hours), role engagement, and task essence (e.g. types of activities) and investigates how these dimensions and their interactions impact healthy aging outcomes in older adults. Methods A mix...
| Publicado en: | Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences Vol. 81; no. 1; pp. 1 - 15 |
|---|---|
| Autor principal: | |
| Formato: | Artículo |
| Publicado: |
Oxford University Press / USA
Jan2026
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=191893067&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 191893067 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 10795014 JGB jtl: Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences issn: 10795014 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jan2026 vid: 81 iid: 1 pid: 622 pub: Oxford University Press / USA artinfo: ui: 191893067 10.1093/geronb/gbaf214 ppf: 1 ppct: 14 formats: tig: atl: How time exposure, role engagement and task essence ("3E") of volunteering interact to associate with healthy aging: a cross-sectional mixed-method study in Hong Kong. aug: au: Lu, Shiyu affil: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China su: Hong Kong (China) Volunteer service Cross-sectional method Community health services Public housing Task performance Focus groups Psychological well-being Creative ability Sound recordings Marital status Social support Active aging Cognition Employment Job involvement Psychological resilience Research funding Questionnaires Multiple regression analysis Judgment sampling Descriptive statistics Thematic analysis Research methodology Data analysis software Time sug: subj: Volunteer service Cross-sectional method Community health services Public housing Task performance Focus groups Psychological well-being Creative ability Sound recordings Marital status Social support Active aging Cognition Employment Hong Kong (China) Community health centres Other Individual and Family Services Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities Other local, municipal and regional public administration All Other Outpatient Care Centers Lessors of social housing projects Sound recording merchant wholesalers Record Production Integrated Record Production/Distribution Job involvement Psychological resilience Research funding Questionnaires Multiple regression analysis Judgment sampling Descriptive statistics Thematic analysis Research methodology Data analysis software Time keyword: Civic participation Role quality Volunteerism Civic participation Role quality Volunteerism ab: Objectives This study introduces the 3E framework of volunteering, including time exposure (e.g. volunteering hours), role engagement, and task essence (e.g. types of activities) and investigates how these dimensions and their interactions impact healthy aging outcomes in older adults. Methods A mixed-methods cross-sectional study using purposive sampling was conducted in social care units with 457 participants aged 60 and older who volunteered at least one hour in the past year in Hong Kong (2024–2025), in addition to seven focus groups involving 46 older adults. Role engagement in volunteering was assessed using the adapted Chinese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Results Role engagement (β = 0.92, p < .001), emotional support tasks (β = 1.35, p =.022), and creative activities (β = 1.09, p = .018) were positively associated with subjective well-being (SWB). Creative activities were linked to better self-rated health, while time exposure was associated with improved cognition. Role engagement amplified the health benefits of both time exposure and task nature. A three-way interaction among role engagement, time exposure, and creative tasks was significantly associated with better SWB (β = 0.66, p =.026) and lower depressive symptoms (β = −0.39, p =.027). Qualitative findings revealed that role engagement in late-life volunteering unfolds through four themes: role internalization, mental resilience, cognitive investment, and meaning-making. Discussion This study validates the 3E framework, demonstrating that role engagement optimizes the health benefits of late-life volunteering hours and volunteering types. Policymakers should transition from focusing solely on volunteering quantity to adopting a holistic approach that optimizes healthy-aging benefits of late-life volunteering. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
|---|