Characteristics of emerging adults who participate in community service activities
Abstract
Emerging adulthood is defined as a developmental period among individuals, ages 18 to 25, who are making volitional choices to advance their goals. For many individuals, this period coincides with attendance at college. In this study, 171 participants, who were both attending college and participating in community service activities completed surveys including self-report measures of perceived spirituality, well-being, self-esteem, and altruism. Results indicated that the Close Friendships subscale on the self-esteem measure and the Altruism measure were significantly related to service participation. Among students' who reported enjoying participation in the service activity, the Close Friendship and Altruism measures were also found to be significantly related to service participation. Thus, emerging adults who have developed an other-oriented sense of responsibility may be more likely to participate in community service work than those students who do not report a sense of responsibility for others. Future research could focus on the role of extraversion in choosing to participate in community service activities. Specifically, do students reach out to participate in extracurricular community oriented activities in order to fulfill their extravert personalities?
Subject Area
Developmental psychology
Recommended Citation
Kustanowitz, Ilana Edelman, "Characteristics of emerging adults who participate in community service activities" (2008). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3312047.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3312047
