Motivation, Personality and Well-Being in Older Volunteers

Abstract

This study examined the effects of personality traits and motivation to volunteer on well-being as 107 older participants went through an intervention to increase volunteering. Three groups of volunteers, current, new, and former volunteers, participated. Participants were assessed four times on standardized measures of personality, health, motivation, and well-being: before and after a wait period, after volunteering, and at one year follow-up. There were no differences between pre, post and follow-up well-being. Regression analysis indicated that health, personality traits and motivation predicted well-being at pre-intervention. In contrast, after the intervention, regression analysis indicated that the interaction of higher neuroticism and greater motivation scores predicted lower well-being compared to other volunteers. One year follow-up results indicated that personality traits and health predicted well-being and that higher initial motivation predicted drop-outs while those continuing to volunteer increased their motivation scores.