Volunteering, educational attainment, and literacy skills among middle-aged and older adults by racial and ethnic groups in the U.S

ABSTRACT

Volunteer participation benefits societies and individuals. The objective of this study was to examine the roles of education and adult literacy in formal volunteering among a nationally representative sample of the U.S. middle-aged and older adults (45–74 years) by race and ethnicity (Whites, Blacks, Hispanics). Using cross-sectional data (n = 3,770) from the 2012/2014/2017 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), structural equation models were used to determine mediation relationships among educational attainment, literacy, and volunteering. The effect of educational attainment on formal volunteering was significantly greater among middle-aged and older Black adults compared to their Hispanic counterparts, as well as among middle-aged and older White adults compared to their Hispanic counterparts. However, literacy was the education-volunteering mediator among White adults only. Suggested policy implications include support for volunteer participation through culturally and socioeconomically sensitive approaches along with human capital development in adult life stages.

Acknowledgments

The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education. This research was approved for the use of the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) restricted-use file (RUF) data by the Institute of Education Sciences Data Security (License #17080026). Data use agreement limitations do not allow distribution of the original data. Other researchers need to obtain a data license if they are interested in the PIAAC RUF. This study was approved by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Institutional Review Board (Protocol #451).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education [grant number R305A200261].