Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Life Satisfaction Among Healthcare Volunteers in Malaysia: Role of Personality Factors, Volunteering Motives, and Spiritual Capital

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of three antecedents of life satisfaction (LS) among healthcare volunteers in Malaysia. The antecedents are: personality traits, motives to volunteer, and spiritual capital. This study has empirically tested the impact of individual dimensions of personality traits, motives, and spiritual capital along with their inter-relationships in explaining the LS. The volunteers of St. John Ambulance participated in this study. The model has been tested using structural equation modeling and it has been found that the three constructs have an explanatory power of 53 %. The main results are: (1) neuroticism, value motives, protective motives, personal well-being, and spirituality have a direct impact on LS and (2) enhancement motives, social motives, and religiosity have an indirect impact on LS. These results can provide insights to researchers and managers regarding profiling the right volunteers, providing the necessary infrastructure, and providing proper training to the volunteers.

Résumé

Cet article analyse le rôle de trois précurseurs de la satisfaction qu’apporte la vie chez les bénévoles œuvrant dans le domaine des soins de santé en Malaisie. Ces précurseurs sont : les traits de personnalité, les motivations liées au bénévolat et le capital spirituel. Pour expliquer cet état de satisfaction, l’étude réalisée a testé empiriquement l’influence individuelle et combinée des dimensions que constituent les traits de personnalité, les motivations et le capital spirituel. Les bénévoles de St. John Ambulance ont participé à cette étude. Le modèle testé est issu d’une modélisation par équations structurelles (MES); il a permis de déduire que ces trois concepts ont un pouvoir explicatif de 53 %. Les résultats principaux sont les suivants : (1) le névrosisme, les motivations liées aux valeurs, les motivations de protection, le bien-être personnel et la spiritualité ont un effet direct sur la satisfaction apportée par la vie; (2) les motivations de valorisation, les motivations sociales et la religiosité ont un effet indirect sur la satisfaction apportée par la vie. Ces résultats peuvent constituer une aide pour les chercheurs et les responsables dont l’objectif est de sélectionner les profils de bénévoles adaptés, de fournir les infrastructures nécessaires et de former correctement les bénévoles.

Zusammenfassung

Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Rolle von drei Antezedenzien für die Lebenszufriedenheit ehrenamtlich Tätiger im Gesundheitswesen in Malaysia. Zu den Antezedenzien zählen die Persönlichkeitsmerkmale, die Motivation zur Ausübung einer ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit und das spirituelle Kapital. In der Studie wurden zur Erklärung der Lebenszufriedenheit die Auswirkungen der individuellen Dimensionen der Persönlichkeitsmerkmale, der Motivation und des spirituellen Kapitals und ihre Wechselbeziehungen empirisch untersucht. An der Studie nahmen die ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiter von St. John Ambulance teil. Das Modell wurde unter Verwendung des Strukturgleichungsmodells getestet, und man kam zu dem Ergebnis, dass die drei Konstrukte eine Aussagekraft von 53 % auswiesen. Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse lauten wie folgt: (1) Neurotizismus, Motivation durch Werte, schutzbezogene Beweggründe, persönliches Wohlbefinden und Spiritualität wirken sich direkt auf die Lebenszufriedenheit aus, während sich (2) die Motivation zur Verbesserung, soziale Beweggründe und Religiösität indirekt auf die Lebenszufriedenheit auswirken. Diese Ergebnisse können Forschern und Managern Erkenntnisse liefern hinsichtlich der Profilerstellung für die richtigen ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiter, der Schaffung der notwendigen Infrastruktur und der Bereitstellung einer angemessenen Schulung für die ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiter.

Resumen

El presente artículo analiza el papel de tres antecedentes de la satisfacción con la vida entre voluntarios de atención sanitaria en Malasia. Los antecedentes son: rasgos de personalidad, motivos para hacerse voluntarios y capital espiritual. El presente estudio ha examinado empíricamente el impacto de las dimensiones individuales de los rasgos de personalidad, los motivos y el capital espiritual junto con sus interrelaciones para explicar la satisfacción con la vida. Los voluntarios de St. John Ambulance participaron en este estudio. El modelo ha sido probado utilizando el Modelo de Ecuación Estructural (SEM, del inglés Structural Equation Modeling) y se ha encontrado que los tres constructos tienen un poder explicativo del 53 %. Los principales resultados son:(1) que el neuroticismo, los motivos de valor, los motivos de protección, el bienestar personal y la espiritualidad tienen un impacto directo en la satisfacción con la vida y (2) los motivos de mejora, los motivos sociales y la religiosidad tienen un impacto indirecto en la satisfacción con la vida. Estos resultados pueden proporcionar ideas a los investigadores y directores para trazar perfiles de los voluntarios correctos, proporcionando la infraestructura necesaria y proporcionando la formación adecuada a los voluntarios.

摘要

本文分析了马来西亚医疗保健志愿者的生活满意度的三个前提条件角色。这些前提条件是:人格特质、志愿动机和精神资本。本研究以经验测试了单个人格特质、志愿动机和精神资本维度的影响,以及它们对生活满意度的相互关系。来自St. John Ambulance的志愿者参与了本次研究。使用结构方程建模(SEM)测试了该模型,并发现这三个因素占解释力的53 %。主要结果是:(1) 情绪不稳定性、价值动机、保护动机、个人幸福和精神性对生活满意度带来直接影响;和 (2) 增强动机、社会动机和宗教性对生活满意度带来间接影响。这些结果为选择正确的志愿者、提供必要的基础设施和提供适当的培训给志愿者的研究人员和管理人员提供了内幕。

ملخص

يحلل هذا المقال ثلاثة أدوار سالفة الذكر من الرضا عن الحياة بين متطوعي الرعاية الصحية في ماليزيا. الأدوارالسالفة الذكر هي: السمات الشخصية ، الدوافع للتطوع ، و الأساس الروحي . قد إختبرت هذه الدراسة تجريبيا˝ تأثير الأبعاد الفردية من سمات الشخصية ، والدوافع ، و الأساس الروحي جنبا˝ إلى جنب مع هذه العلاقات المتداخلة في تفسير الرضا عن الحياة . شارك المتطوعين في إسعاف القديس يوحنا (St. John) في هذه الدراسة. تم اختبار النموذج بإستخدام نموذج المعادلة الهيكلية ( SEM) و وجد أن الثلاث نظم لهم قوة تفسيرية من 53 ٪ . النتائج الرئيسية هي : ( 1 ) إضطرابات شخصية أو عقلية ، الدوافع على أساس القيمة ، دوافع الحماية، الرفاهية الشخصية ، والقيم الروحية لها تأثير مباشر على الرضا عن الحياة و (2 ) تعزيز الدوافع ، دوافع إجتماعية و التدين يكون لها تأثير غير مباشر على الرضا عن الحياة . هذه النتائج يمكن أن تقدم أفكارا˝ للباحثين والمديرين بشأن تنميط المتطوعين المناسبين ، توفير البنية التحتية اللازمة ، وتوفير التدريب المناسب للمتطوعين .

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ansbacher, H. L. (1991). The concept of social interest. Journal of Individual Psychology, 47, 28–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, A. B., Van Der Zee, K. I., Lewig, K. A., & Dollard, M. F. (2002). The relationship between the Big Five personality factors and burnout: A study among volunteer counselors. The Journal of Social Psychology, 135(5), 31–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, P. L., & Hefner, R. W. (2006). Spiritual capital in a comparative perspective, Metanexus Institute. Retrieved from http://www.metanexus.net/archive/spiritualcapitalresearchprogram/pdf/Berger.pdf. Accessed 30 June 2012.

  • Brillhart, B. (2005). A study of spirituality and life satisfaction among persons with spinal cord injury. Rehabilitation Nursing, 30(1), 31–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan, K. E., & Bardi, A. (2010, September). Does volunteering increase happiness? Depends on your personality. Poster presented at the British Psychological Society Social Psychology Section Conference, Winchester.

  • Bussell, H., & Forbes, D. (2001). Understanding the volunteer market: The what, where, who and why of volunteering. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 7(3), 244–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caldarella, P., Gomm, R. J., Shatzer, R. H., & Wall, D. G. (2010). School-based mentoring: A study of volunteer motivations and benefits. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 2(2), 199–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlo, G., Okun, M. A., Knight, G. P., & de Guzman, M. R. T. (2005). The interplay of traits and motives on volunteering: Agreeableness, extraversion and pro-social value motivation. Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 1293–1305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chacon, F. F., & Vecina, J. M. (2000). Motivation and burnout in volunteerism. Psychology in Spain, 4(1), 75–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, L. S., Tu, H. H., & Wang, E. S. (2008). Personality traits and life satisfaction among online game players. Cyberpsycholgy Behavior, 11(2), 145–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clary, E. G., & Snyder, M. (1999). The motivations to volunteer: Theoretical and practical considerations. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 8(58), 156–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clary, E. G., Snyder, M., & Ridge, R. (1992). Volunteers’ motivations: A functional strategy for the recruitment, placement, and retention of volunteers. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 2, 333–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cnaan, R. A., & Goldberg-Glen, R. S. (1991). Measuring motivation to volunteer in human services. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 27(3), 269–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, P. (2006). Review of psyche, self and soul: Rethinking psychoanalysis, self and spirituality. Psychoanalytic Review, 93(4), 682–684.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1996). The domains of life satisfaction: An attempt to order chaos. Social Indicators Research, 38(3), 303–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A., Collard, J., Woerner, J., Weinberg, M., Lorbergs, M., & Perera, C. (2009). Australian unity wellbeing index, Survey 22, Part A: The Report. http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.html. Accessed 10 May 2012.

  • Cummins, R. A., & Lau, A. L. D. (2005). Personal wellbeing index—school children. http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/instruments/wellbeing-index/pwi-school.pdf.  Accessed 18 June 2012.

  • Cummins, R. A., McCabe, M. P., Romeo, Y., & Gullone, E. (1994). The comprehensive quality of life scale: Instrument development and psychometric evaluation on tertiary staff and students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 372–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dein, S., & Abbas, S. Q. (2005). The stresses of volunteering in a hospice: A qualitative study. Palliative Medicine, 19, 58–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 542–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Sandvik, E. M., Seidlitz, L., & Diener, M. (1993). The relationship between income and subjective well-being: Relative or absolute. Social Indicators Research, 28, 195–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dorahy, M., Lewis, C., Schumaker, J., Akuamoah-Boateng, R., Duze, M., & Sibiya, T. (1998). A cross-cultural analysis of religion and life satisfaction. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 1(1), 37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyrenforth, P. S., Kashy, D. A., Donnellan, M. B., & Lucas, R. E. (2010). Predicting relationship and life satisfaction from personality in nationally representative samples from three countries: The relative importance of actor, partner, and similarity effects. Journal of Personnel Social Psychology, 99(4), 694–702.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrhardt, J. J., Saris, W. G., & Veenhoven, R. (2000). Stability of life satisfaction over time: Analysis of change in ranks in national population. Journal of Happiness Studies, 1(1), 177–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fabricatore, A. L., Handal, P. J., & Fenzel, M. L. (2000). Personal spirituality as a moderator of the relationship between stressors and subjective well-being. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 28(3), 221–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finke, R. (2003). Spiritual Capital: Definitions, Applications, and New Frontiers, Metanexus Institute. Retrieved from http://www.metanexus.net/archive/spiritualcapitalresearchprogram/pdf/finke.pdf. Accessed 30 June 2012.

  • Finkelstein, M. A., Penner, L. A., & Brannick, M. T. (2005). Motive, role identity, and prosocial personality as predictors of volunteer activity. Social Behavior and Personality, 33, 403–418.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frisch, M. B. (2000). Quality of life therapy: Applying a life satisfaction approach to positive psychology and cognitive therapy. New York, NY: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gage, R. L., & Thapa, B. (2011). Volunteer motivations and constraints among college students: Analysis of the volunteer function inventory and leisure constraints models. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 41(3), 405–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, D., & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference. 11.0 update (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

  • Gillath, O., Shaver, P. R., Mikulincer, M., Nitzberg, R. A., Erez, A., & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2005). Attachment, care-giving, and volunteering: Placing volunteerism in an attachment-theoretical framework. Personal Relationships, 12, 425–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gnoth, J. (1997). Tourism motivation and expectation formation. Annals of Tourism Research, 24(2), 283–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, A. (2012). Giving time, time after time: Work design and sustained employee participation in corporate volunteering. Academy of Management Review, 37(4), 589–615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grube, J. A., & Piliavin, J. A. (2000). Role identity, organizational experiences, and volunteer performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 1108–1119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, D. A., Newman, D. A., & Roth, P. L. (2006). How important are job attitudes? Meta-analytic comparisons of integrative behavioral outcomes and time sequences. Academy of Management Journal, 49(2), 305–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hampson, S. E., & Goldberg, L. R. (2006). A first large cohort study of personality trait stability over the 40 years between elementary school and midlife. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(4), 763–779.

    Google Scholar 

  •  Haski-Leventhal, D., & Bargal, D. (2008). The volunteer stages and transitions model: Organizational socialization of volunteers. Human Relations, 61, 67. doi: 10.1177/0018726707085946. Retrieved May 14, 2011 from http://hum.sagepub.com/content/61/1/67.

  • Herzog, A., Kahn, R., Morgan, J., Jackson, J. S., & Antonucci, T. C. (1989). Age differences in productive activity. Journal of Gerontology, 4, S129–S138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, P. C., & Pargament, K. I. (2003). Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality: Implications for physical and mental health research. American Psychologist, 58, 64–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, Y. W., You, J., & Fung, H. H. (2012). The moderating role of age in the relationship between volunteering motives and well-being. European Journal of Ageing,. doi:10.1007/s10433-012-0245-5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houle, B. J., Sagarin, B. J., & Kaplan, M. F. (2005). A functional approach to volunteerism: Do volunteer motives predict task preference? Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 27(4), 337–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, J. (2002). “Doing” unto others: A social ecology framework on personality and volunteering. Masters in Carleton University.

  • Hybels, J. H. (1978). Volunteer jobs to paid jobs. Wellesley, MA: Wellesley College Center for Research on Women.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ivtzan, I., Chan, C. P. L., Gardner, H. E., & Prashar, K. (2013). Linking religion and spirituality with psychological well-being: examining self-actualisation, meaning in life, and personal growth initiative. Journal of Religious Health, 52(3), 915–929.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John, O. P. (1990). The “Big Five” factor taxonomy: Dimensions of personality in the natural language and in questionnaires. In R. Bekkers (Ed.), Giving and volunteering in The Netherlands: Sociological and psychological perspectives. Utrecht: Utrecht University.

    Google Scholar 

  • John, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The Big Five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and theoretical perspectives. New York, NY: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshanloo, M., & Afshari, A. (2009). Big five personality traits and self esteem as predictors of life satisfaction in Iranian Muslim university students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(1), 105–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Konrath, S., Fuhrel-Forbis, A., Lou, A., & Brown, S. (2011). Motives for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults. Health Psychology, 31(1), 87–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lester, S. W., Tomkovick, C., Wells, T., Flunker, L., & Kickul, J. (2005). Does service-learning add value? Examining the perspectives of multiple stakeholders. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4, 278–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lim, C., & Putnam, R. D. (2010). Religion, social networks, and life satisfaction. American Sociological Review, 75(6), 914–933.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, A. (2003). Index correlation, measurement reliability and biased estimation. Retrieved from http://www.researchmethods.org/democracy-indicators.pdf. Accessed 30 Mar 2012.

  • Maranta, A., & Sladowski, P. S. (2010). The changing culture of volunteering: A skills-based approach to volunteer involvement. A discussion paper by Volunteer Benevolves, Canada.

  • Marcoen, A. (1994). Spirituality and personal well-being in old age. Ageing and Society, 14(4), 521–536.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. (1971). The farther reaches of human nature. New York, NY: Viking.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattis, J. S. (2000). African American women’s definitions of spirituality and religiosity. Journal of Black Psychology, 26, 101–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McBride, M. (2001). Relative-income effects on subjective well-being in the cross-section. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 45, 251–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier, S., & Stutzer, A. (2004). Is volunteering rewarding in itself? IZA Discussion Paper No. 1045; Zurich IEER Working Paper No. 180. Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=505042. Accessed 20 Jan 2012.

  • Middlebrooks, A., & Noghiou, A. (2007). Developing the service orientation for spiritual capital: Leadership capacity for bridging sectors. Leading the future of the public sector: The Third Transatlantic Dialogue University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

  • Miller, W., & Thoresen, C. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field. American Psychologist, 58(1), 24–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Musick, M., & Wilson, J. (1999). The effects of volunteering on the volunteer. Law and Contemporary Problems, 62(4), 141–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • North, C. S., Tivis, L., & McMillen, J. C. (2002). Coping, functioning, and adjustment of rescue workers after the Oklahoma City bombing. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 15(3), 171–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okun, M. A., Barr, A., & Herzog, A. R. (1998). Motivation to volunteer by older adults: A test of competing measurement models. Psychology and Aging, 13, 608–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omoto, A. M., & Snyder, M. (2002). Considerations of community: The context and process of volunteerism. American Behavioral Scientist, 45, 846–857.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paloutzian, R. E., & Park, C. L. (2005). Integrative themes. Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 3–20). New York, NY: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pargament, K. I., & Mahoney, A. (2002). Spirituality: Discovering and conserving the sacred. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 646–659). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, J. (2011). Examining outcomes when volunteer skill sets are matched to specific volunteer opportunities: A study of volunteering among older adults in South Korea. Doctoral Dissertation, University at Albany, State University of New York. Proquest Information and Learning Company, UMI Number: 3454524.

  • Parker, P. D., Martin, A. J., & Marsh, H. W. (2008). Factors predicting life satisfaction: A process model of personality, multidimensional self-concept, and life satisfaction. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 8(1), 15–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlova, M. K., & Silbereisen, R. K. (2012). Participation in voluntary organizations and volunteer work as a compensation for the absence of work and partnership? Evidence from two German samples of younger and older adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series B, 67(4), 514–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perrone, K., Webb, L., Wright, S., Jackson, Z., & Ksiazak, T. (2006). Relationship of spirituality to work and family roles and life satisfaction among gifted adults. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 28(3), 253–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, L. C., & Phillips, M. H. (2010). Volunteer motivation and reward preference: An empirical study of volunteerism in a large, not-for-profit organization. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 75(4), 12–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piedmont, R. L., & Friedman, P. H. (2012). Spirituality, religiosity and subjective quality of life. In K. C. Land (Ed.), Handbook of social indicators and quality of life research (pp. 313–329). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Piliavin, J. (2005). Feeling good by doing good: Health consequences of social service. In A. Omoto (Ed.), Processes of community change and social action (pp. 29–50). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piliavin, J. A., Grube, J. A., & Callero, P. L. (2002). Role as resources for action in public service. Journal of Social Issues, 58, 469–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Proto, E., & Rustichini, A. (2012). Life satisfaction, household income and personality theory. SOEP Papers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research, DIW Berlin. Retrieved from http://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.403014.de/diw_sp0453.pdf. Accessed 25 Aug 2012.

  • Pushkar, D., Reis, M., & Morros, M. (2002). Motivation, personality, and well-being in older volunteers. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 55(2), 141–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ragheb, M. G., & Griffith, C. A. (1982). The contribution of leisure participation and leisure satisfaction to life satisfaction of older persons. Journal of Leisure Research, 14(4), 295–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rammstedt, B., & John, O. P. (2007). Measuring personality in one minute or less: A 10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory in English and German. Journal of Research in Personality, 41, 203–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, P. G. (1987). Spirituality and well-being in terminally ill hospitalized adults. Research in Nursing & Health, 10(5), 331–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reeder, G. D., Davison, D. M., Gipson, K. L., & Hesson-McInnis, M. S. (2001). Identifying the motivation of African American volunteers to prevent HIV/AIDS. AIDS Education and Prevention, 13(4), 343–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice, R. W., McFarlin, D. B., Hunt, R. G., & Near, J. P. (1985). Job importance as a moderator of the relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 6(4), 297–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rippentrop, A. (2005). A review of the role of religion and spirituality in chronic pain populations. Rehabilitation Psychology, 50(3), 278–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roemer, M. (2006). Do religious beliefs and membership affect life satisfaction and happiness in Japan? Conference Papers—American Sociological Association.

  • Schram, V. R. (1985). Job skills developed in volunteer work: Transferability to salaried employment. Journal of Volunteer Administration, 3, 28–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, S. (2004). Volunteerism among retirees: A potential resource of community development. Ph.D. Dissertation, University Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

  • Siti, H.A. (2004). Volunteerism and development of Malaysian Social Care System. Retrieved September 9, 2011 from http://www.icsw.org/doc/Malaysia2004-21.pdf.

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 53, 80–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone-Romero, E. F., & Rosopa, P. J. (2008). The relative validity of inferences about mediation as a function of research design characteristics. Organizational Research Methods, 11, 326–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stubbe, J. H., Posthuma, D., Boomsma, D. I., & DeGeus, J. C. (2005). Heritability of life satisfaction in adults: A twin-family study. Psychological Medicine, 35, 1581–1588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tatarkiewicz, W. (1976). Analysis of happiness. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tate, D., & Forchheimer, M. (2002). Quality of life, life satisfaction, and spirituality: Comparing outcomes between rehabilitation and cancer patients. American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 81(6), 400–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuckman, H., & Chang, C. (1991). A methodology for measuring the financial vulnerability of charitable nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 20(4), 445–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Leeuwen, C. M., Post, M. W., Westers, P., van der Woude, L. H., de Groot, S., Sluis, T., et al. (2012). Relationships between activities, participation, personal factors, mental health, and life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury. Archives Physical Medical Rehabilitation, 93(1), 82–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R. (1991). Questions on happiness: Classic topics, modern answers, blind spots. In F. Strach, N. Argyle, & N. Schwartz (Eds.), Subjective well being. Oxford: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veerasamy, C., Sambasivan, M., & Kumar, N. (2013). Individual skills based volunteerism and life satisfaction among healthcare volunteers in Malaysia: Role of employer encouragement, self-esteem and job performance, a cross-sectional study. PLoS One, 8(10), e77698. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0077698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verter, B. (2003). Spiritual capital: Theorizing religion with Bourdieu against Bourdieu. Sociological Theory, 21(2), 151–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wadsworth, T. (2013). Sex and the pursuit of happiness: How other people’s sex lives are related to our sense of well-being. Social Indicators Research, 110(3), 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wills, E. (2009). Spirituality and subjective well-being: Evidences for a new domain in the personal well-being index. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10, 49–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. (2012). Volunteerism research: A review essay. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 41, 176. doi:10.1177/0899764011434558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J., & Muscik, M. (1999). The effects of volunteering on the volunteer. Law and Contemporary Problems, 62(4), 141–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, A. M., Joseph, S., & Maltby, J. (2008). Gratitude uniquely predicts satisfaction with life: Incremental validity above the domains and facets of the five factor model. Personality and Individual Differences, 45, 49–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zohar, D., & Marshall, I. (2004). Spiritual capital. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zullig, K. J., Ward, R. M., & Horn, T. (2006). The association between perceived spirituality, religiosity, and life satisfaction: The mediating role of self-rated health. Social Indicators Research, 79(2), 255–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zweigenhaft, R. L., Armstrong, J., Quintis, F., & Riddick, A. (1996). The motivations and effectiveness of hospital volunteers. Journal of Social Psychology, 136(1), 25–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors express deep appreciation to SJAM for allowing us to conduct the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inti International University, Nilai, Malaysia

    Chanthiran Veerasamy

  2. Taylor’s Business School, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, No 1, Jalan Taylor’s, 47500, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

    Murali Sambasivan

  3. Global Entrepreneurship Research and Innovation Center (GERIC), Universiti Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Naresh Kumar

Authors
  1. Chanthiran Veerasamy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Murali Sambasivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Naresh Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Murali Sambasivan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Veerasamy, C., Sambasivan, M. & Kumar, N. Life Satisfaction Among Healthcare Volunteers in Malaysia: Role of Personality Factors, Volunteering Motives, and Spiritual Capital. Voluntas 26, 531–552 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-014-9437-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-014-9437-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation