Volunteering Experience and Intentions Among Older Adults in Italy: Evidence From a Large Quota Sample.

Abstract

The present study investigates volunteering experience and intentions in a large quota sample of older Italian adults aged 60-74 stratified by geographic area and sex (N = 700), focusing on sociodemographic factors, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Results showed that 35.1% of respondents engaged in formal volunteering in the 12 months prior to the study. Using logistic regressions, we found that past participation is significantly associated with higher education and income, better self-reported health, frequent religious attendance, intrinsic motivation, and perceived behavioral control. Conversely, probit ordinal regression showed that intentions to volunteer are primarily driven by prior experience, subjective norms, positive attitudes, integrated and introjected regulation. Our findings highlight the interplay between socioeconomic resources and socio-cognitive processes related to volunteering among older adults in the Italian context and can inform policies and interventions that promote active aging and well-being by addressing psychological barriers and motivators.