the relationship between motivations of volunteers and psychological well-being in iranian elderly individuals

Background: participatory actions and voluntary behaviors play a significant role in the health of elderly individuals. evidence suggests that engagement in voluntary work positively impacts health, psychological well-being, and even longevity, with these benefits being particularly pronounced among older adults. the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between motivation for volunteer activities and psychological well-being in elderly individuals.methods: an analytical cross-sectional study was conducted involving 496 elderly individuals, selected through a multi-stage non-random sampling method, at comprehensive health service centers in golestan province, northern iran, in 2023. data were collected through clary’s voluntary activities questionnaire and ryff’s psychological well-being questionnaire. the data were analyzed using pearson correlation tests, independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and anova by spss v.26, all at a significance level of 0.05.results: the mean scores of voluntary motivation and psychological well-being among the elderly were 180.01±11.79 and 64.72±5.30, respectively. the results of the pearson correlation test indicated a positive and significant relationship between the total score of voluntary functions and the total score of psychological well-being (r=0.1, p = 0.03).conclusion: motivation for volunteer activities may be a significant factor in enhancing the psychological well-being of elderly individuals. therefore, it is essential for policymakers in elderly health to create conditions that encourage participation in voluntary activities to promote psychological well-being.