Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Religion, Volunteerism and Health: Are Religious People Really Doing Well by Doing Good?

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

While the religion-health connection has been accumulatively established by research findings in one hand, the contribution of volunteering to health is well confirmed empirically on the other hand. Nevertheless, although religion has been long accepted as a feeder system and source of volunteerism, paucity of research has attempted to investigate religious effects on health benefits through the mediation of volunteering. In this study, I examined religious effects on the health outcomes of mental and physical health and life satisfaction through the mediation of other-oriented and self-oriented volunteering based on a statewide representative sample of general adults in Texas. Results showed that both other-oriented and self-oriented volunteering significantly mediated the relationships between participants’ religiosity and health outcomes, but more robust indirect effects through other-oriented volunteering were noted by bootstrap estimates. In addition, the direct effects of religiosity on health outcomes were significantly remained even taking the mediation of volunteering into account, connoting the distinctive role of religion in health that cannot be explained away by secular pathways. Implications of the findings, limitations, and future research directions are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The Survey of Texas Adults 2004 is an openly accessible dataset for public use, which can be located at the Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). More details of the survey can refer to previous relevant studies with the same dataset (Hill et al. 2009; Musick et al. 2015; Yeung 2017).

References

  • Albanesi, C., Cicognani, E., & Zani, B. (2007). Sense of community, civic engagement and social well-being in Italian adolescents. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 17, 387–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ammerman, N. T. (2005). Religious narratives, community service, and everyday public life. In M. Jo Bane, B. Coffin, & R. Higgins (Eds.), Taking faith seriously (pp. 146–174). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton, A. L., Snider, J. B., Vazsonyi, A. T., & Cox, J. L. (2014). Adolescent religiosity as a mediator of the relationship between parental religiosity and adolescent health outcomes. Journal of Religion and Health, 53, 86–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, P. E., & Dhingra, P. H. (2001). Religious involvement and volunteering: Implications for civil society. Sociology of Religion, 62(3), 315–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bentler, P. M. (2007). On tests and indices for evaluating structural models. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 820–829.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borgonovi, F. (2008). Doing well by doing good: The relationship between formal volunteering and self-reported health and happiness. Social Science and Medicine, 66(11), 2321–2334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, N. K., & Guo, S. (2012). Structural equation modeling. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caribé, A. C., Nunez, R., Montal, D., Ribeiro, L., Sarmento, S., Quarantini, L. C., et al. (2012). Religiosity as a protective factor in suicidal behavior: A case-control study. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 200(10), 863–867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cnaan, R. A., Kasternakis, A., & Wineburg, R. J. (1993). Religious people, religious congregations, and volunteerism in human services: Is there a link? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 22(1), 33–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S. (2004). Social relationships and health. American Psychologist, 59, 676–684.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deindl, C., Brandt, M., & Hank, K. (2016). Social networks, social cohesion, and later-life health. Social Indicators Research, 126, 1175–1187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, C. G. (1991). Religious involvement and subjective well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 32(1), 80–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, C. G., Boardman, J. D., Williams, D. R., & Jackson, A. S. (2001). Religious involvement, stress, and mental health: Findings from the 1995 Detroit area study. Social Forces, 80(1), 215–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, C. G., & Flannelly, K. J. (2009). Religious involvement and risk of major depression in a prospective nationwide study of African American adults. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 197(8), 568–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, M. A. (2009). Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivational orientations and the volunteer process. Personality and Individual Differences, 46, 653–658.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forbes, K. F., & Zampelli, E. M. (2014). Volunteerism: The influences of social, religious, and human capital. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 43(2), 227–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenfield, E. A., & Marks, N. F. (2004). Formal volunteering as a protective factor for older adults’ psychological well-being. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 59B(5), S258–S264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, T. D., Burdette, A. M., & Hale, L. (2009). Neighborhood disorder, sleep quality, and psychological distress: Testing a model of structural amplification. Health & Place, 15, 1006–1013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, T. D., Uchino, B., Eckhardt, J., & Angel, J. (2014). Social support trajectories and the mortality risk of older Mexican American women and men. Gerontologist, 54, 145–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyle, R. H. (2011). Structural equation modeling for social and personality psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hummer, R. A., Rogers, R. G., Nam, C. B., & Ellison, C. G. (1999). Religious involvement and U.S. adult mortality. Demography, 36(2), 273–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iannaccone, L. R. (1994). Why strict churches are strong. American Journal of Sociology, 99(5), 1180–1211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, E. E., Bachnteier, M. D., Wood, J. R., & Craft, E. A. (1995). Volunteering and charitable giving: do religious and associational ties promote helping behavior? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 24(1), 59–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, J. B. (2013). Religion and volunteering over the adult life course. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 52(4), 733–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, K. H. (2005). The relation among fit indexes, power, and sample size in structural equation modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 12, 368–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J., & Pai, M. (2010). Volunteering and trajectories of depression. Journal of Ageing and Health, 22(1), 84–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York: Guilford Press.

  • Koenig, H. G. (2009). Research on religion, spirituality, and mental health: A review. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54(5), 283–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koenig, H., King, D., & Carson, V. B. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of religion and health. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konrath, S., Fuhrel-Forbis, A., Lou, A., & Brown, S. (2012). Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults. Health Psychology, 31(1), 87–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause, N., & Ellison, C. G. (2007). Parental religious socialization practices and self-esteem in late life. Review of Religious Research, 49(2), 109–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kvande, M. N., Klöckner, C. A., Moksnes, U. K., & Espnes, G. A. (2015). Do optimism and pessimism mediate the relationship between religious coping and existential well-being? Examining mechanisms in a Norwegian population sample. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 25(2), 130–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lim, C., & MacGregor, C. A. (2014). Religion and volunteering in context: Disentangling the contextual effects of religion on voluntary behavior. American Sociological Review, 77(5), 747–779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, E. S., Holosko, M. J., & Lo, T. W. (Eds.). (2009). Youth empowerment and volunteerism: Principles, policies and practices. Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDougle, L., Handy, F., Konrath, S., & Walk, M. (2014). Health outcomes and volunteering: The moderating role of religiosity. Social Indicators Research, 117, 337–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mencken, F. C., & Fitz, B. (2013). Image of God and community volunteering among religious adherents in the United States. Religious Research Association, 55, 491–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrow-Howell, N., Hong, S., & Tang, F. (2009). Who benefits from volunteering? Variations in perceived benefits. Gerontologist, 49(1), 91–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Musick, M. A. (2004). Survey of Texas adults. Austin, TX: University of Texas at Austin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Musick, M. A., Rose, M. R., Dury, S., & Rose, R. P. (2015). Much obliged: Volunteering, normative activities, and willingness to serve on juries. Law and Social Inquiry-Journal of the American Bar Foundation, 40, 433–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okun, M. A., & Schultz, A. (2003). Age and motives for volunteering: Testing hypotheses derived from socioemotional selectivity theory. Psychology and Aging, 18, 231–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omoto, A. M., Snyder, M., & Hackett, J. D. (2010). Personality and motivational antecedents of activism and civic engagement. Journal of Personality, 78, 1703–1734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petts, R. J. (2014). Family, religious attendance and trajectories of psychological well-being among youth. Journal of Family Psychology, 28(6), 759–768.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piliavin, J. A., & Siegl, E. (2007). Health benefits of volunteering in the Wisconsin longitudinal study. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 48(4), 450–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prouteau, L., & Sardinha, B. (2015). Volunteering and country-level religiosity: Evidence from the European union. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 26, 242–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabatier, C., Mayer, B., & Friedlmeier, M. (2011). Religiosity, family orientation, and life satisfaction of adolescents in four countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 42(8), 1375–1393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santini, Z. I., Koyanagi, A., Tyrovolas, S., Mason, C., & Haro, J. M. (2005). The association between social relationships and depression: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 175, 53–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, M., Clary, E. G., & Stukas, A. A. (2000). The functional approach to volunteerism. In G. R. Maio & J. M. Olson (Eds.), Why evaluate: Functions of attitudes (pp. 365–393). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Son, J., & Wilson, J. (2012). Using normative theory to explain the effect of religion and education on volunteering. Sociological Perspectives, 55(3), 473–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stukas, A. A., Hoye, R., Nicholson, M., Brown, K. M., & Aisbett, L. (2016). Motivations to volunteer and their associations with volunteers’ well-being. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 45(1), 112–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stukas, A. A., Snyder, M., & Clary, E. G. (2014). Volunteerism and community involvement: Antecedents, experiences, and consequences for the person and the situation. In D. A. Schroeder & W. Graziano (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of prosocial behavior. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoits, P. A., & Hewitt, L. N. (2001). Volunteer work and well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42(2), 115–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unruh, H. R., & Sider, R. J. (2005). Saving souls, serving society: Understanding the faith factor in church-based social ministry. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Unterrainer, H. F., Lewis, A. J., & Fink, A. (2014). Religious/spiritual well-being, personality and mental health: A review of results and conceptual issues. Journal of Religion and Health, 53(2), 382–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Tienen, M., Scheepers, P., Reitsma, J., & Schilderman, H. (2011). The role of religiosity for formal and informal volunteering in the Netherlands. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 22, 365–389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walter, M. (2013). Surveys. In M. Walter (Ed.), Social research methods (pp. 121–146). South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L., & Handy, F. (2014). Religious and secular voluntary participation by immigrants in Canada: How trust and social networks affect decision to participate. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 25, 1559–1582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, A. M., Philogene, G. S., Fine, L., & Sinha, S. (2009). Social support and self-reported health status of older adults in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 99, 1871–1878.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J., & Janoski, T. (1995). The contribution of religion to volunteer work. Sociology of Religion, 56, 137–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeung, J. W. K. (2017). Religious involvement and participation in volunteering: Types, domains and aggregate. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 28(1), 110–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeung, J. W. K., & Chan, Y. C. (2014). Parents’ religious involvement, family socialization and development of their children in a Chinese sample of Hong Kong. Social Indicators Research, 117, 987–1010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yonker, J. E., Schnabelrauch, C. A., & Dehaan, L. G. (2012). The relationship between spirituality and religiosity on psychological outcomes in adolescents and emerging adults: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Adolescence, 35, 299–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, W. H. (2008). The psychological cost of market transition: Mental health disparities in reform-era China. Social Problem, 55(3), 347–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Jerf W. K. Yeung

Authors
  1. Jerf W. K. Yeung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jerf W. K. Yeung.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yeung, J.W.K. Religion, Volunteerism and Health: Are Religious People Really Doing Well by Doing Good?. Soc Indic Res 138, 809–828 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-017-1671-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-017-1671-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation