Promoting Volunteering Among Older Adults in Hong Kong: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Author:

Jiang Da123,Warner Lisa M4,Chong Alice Ming-Lin5,Li Tianyuan36ORCID,Wolff Julia K7,Chou Kee-Lee8

Affiliation:

1. Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

2. Integrated Centre for Wellbeing (I-WELL), The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

3. Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

4. Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany

5. Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China

6. Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

7. Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute of Psychogerontology, Nuremberg, Germany

8. Department of Asian and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

Abstract

Abstract Background and Objectives Volunteering has consistently been associated with better mental, physical, and cognitive health in older adulthood. However, the volunteering rate of older adults in Hong Kong is much lower than in Western countries. Few studies have examined whether interventions can be effective in motivating older adults to volunteer in Hong Kong. To fill this gap, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of a theory-based social-cognitive intervention on volunteering. Research Design and Methods A total of 264 community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong (Mage = 69.95 years, SDage = 6.90 years, 81.06% female) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or an active control group. Participants in the experimental group received 4 weekly 1-hr face-to-face volunteering intervention sessions. Those in the active control group received parallel sessions targeting physical activity instead of volunteering. The time spent on volunteering per month was self-reported and measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after the intervention. Self-efficacy, intention, action planning, and self-monitoring of volunteering were measured as mediators. Results Monthly volunteering minutes increased among participants in the experimental group when compared with the active control group at 6-week, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Self-efficacy, intention, and action planning consistently mediated the effect of the intervention on volunteering minutes. Discussion and Implications The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention on volunteering behavior in older adults in Hong Kong through well-established behavior change techniques.

Funder

Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Geriatrics and Gerontology,Gerontology,General Medicine

Reference41 articles.

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