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Does volunteer work affect life satisfaction of participants with chronic functional limitations? An empirical investigation

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  • Marchesano, Katia
  • Musella, Marco

Abstract

As highlighted in the field of the social determinants of health, welfare programmes need to address psychosocial and material needs, since both are drivers of health conditions. This study is based on the assumption that volunteer work (unpaid activity defined here as ‘social treatment’- policy) may foster a higher life satisfaction of people with a chronic disability (resulting from long-term functional limitations). In particular, the analysis empirically tests a causal effect of an active participation in volunteer work on the life satisfaction of the participants, taking into consideration the role of self-reported quality of the public services provided (transport, emergency health and education services) and the big five individual personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness).

Suggested Citation

  • Marchesano, Katia & Musella, Marco, 2020. "Does volunteer work affect life satisfaction of participants with chronic functional limitations? An empirical investigation," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceps:v:69:y:2020:i:c:s0038012119300424
    DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2019.04.005
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social determinants; Social engagement; Personality traits; Life satisfaction; Causality; Disability; Italy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines

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