The impact of older adults' volunteer motivation on successful aging: a moderated mediation model.

Older adults' volunteer motivation significantly and positively predicted successful aging.

• Cross-sectional study conducted between January and May 2024 in five regions of Sichuan Province, China.
• Volunteer motivation was measured using the Volunteer Function Inventory (VFI).
• Successful aging was measured using the Successful Aging Inventory (SAI).
• Data analysis was performed using SPSS along with the PROCESS macro.

Older adults' volunteer motivation significantly and positively predicted altruistic behavior.

• Altruistic behavior was measured using the Self-Report Altruism Scale-Distinguished by the Recipient (SRAS-DR).
• The relationship between volunteer motivation and altruistic behavior was a direct positive association.
• This finding was part of the broader mediation model tested in the study.

Altruistic behavior served as a partial mediator in the relationship between volunteer motivation and successful aging.

• The mediation was partial, meaning volunteer motivation retained a direct effect on successful aging beyond the indirect path through altruism.
• The PROCESS macro was used to examine the mediation effect.
• This finding suggests altruistic behavior is one mechanism through which volunteer motivation influences successful aging.

Loneliness moderated the latter stage of the altruism-mediated pathway, attenuating the positive predictive effect of altruistic behavior on successful aging.

• Loneliness was measured using the Chinese adaptation of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS).
• The moderation occurred specifically at the pathway from altruistic behavior to successful aging, not at the earlier stage from volunteer motivation to altruistic behavior.
• Higher loneliness weakened (attenuated) rather than reversed the positive effect of altruistic behavior on successful aging.
• This constitutes a moderated mediation model where the indirect effect of volunteer motivation on successful aging via altruism depends on the level of loneliness.

The study employed a cross-sectional design with older adults from five regions in Sichuan Province, China.

• Data collection took place between January and May 2024.
• Participants completed a battery of five instruments: a general information form, VFI, SAI, SRAS-DR, and DJGLS.
• The sample was drawn from five regions within Sichuan Province, providing geographic diversity within the province.