In a rapidly evolving educational landscape, the psychological well-being and social development of students have emerged as critical areas of focus for researchers worldwide. Recent investigations have increasingly underscored the multifaceted benefits of volunteering, not only for communities but also for the volunteers themselves, particularly within student populations. A compelling new study published in BMC Psychology in 2025, conducted by F.H. Alganami and M.E.S.E. Keshky, delves deeply into the nuanced relationship between volunteering and three significant psychological constructs: happiness, social connectedness, and self-efficacy among students. Intriguingly, the study also highlights how gender may modulate these effects, offering a layered understanding of the volunteering experience.
The interplay between volunteering and student happiness is a subject of considerable interest because happiness is increasingly recognized as a vital parameter of mental health and academic success. The researchers employed a robust methodological approach to quantify happiness levels among students engaged in regular volunteering activities compared to their non-volunteering peers. Utilizing validated psychometric instruments, the data revealed statistically significant elevations in happiness scores among volunteers. This finding aligns with broader psychological theories suggesting that prosocial behavior generates intrinsic rewards, reinforcing positive emotional states.
Social connectedness, reflecting the degree to which individuals perceive themselves as integrated within their social milieu, was also meticulously examined in this groundbreaking study. For students navigating the complex social dynamics of academic environments, the importance of a strong social network cannot be overstated. Alganami and Keshky’s findings demonstrate that volunteering facilitates meaningful interpersonal interactions, fostering a sense of belonging and community that is often elusive in transient student populations. By participating in volunteer work, students appeared to build durable social ties, which are critical in mitigating feelings of isolation and social anxiety frequently reported in academic settings.
Self-efficacy, defined as one’s belief in their capacity to exert control over challenging demands and achieve desired outcomes, represents a central psychological construct relevant to student development. The study’s detailed analysis revealed that students involved in volunteering projects reported heightened levels of self-efficacy, an outcome that potentially translates into improved academic performance and greater resilience in face of adversity. This enhancement in perceived self-competence may be attributed to the acquisition of tangible skills and successful completion of meaningful tasks during volunteer engagements, which collectively reinforce autonomous agency.
A distinctive strength of this research lies in its attention to gender as a moderating variable. Notably, the relationship between volunteering and the psychosocial benefits mentioned above was not uniform across male and female students. The authors reported interaction effects wherein females exhibited pronounced improvements in happiness and social connectedness through volunteering, while males displayed comparatively greater increases in self-efficacy. Such gender-specific variations invite speculation regarding underlying psychological and sociocultural mechanisms that potentially shape the volunteering experience differently for women and men.
This gender divergence may be rooted in differential socialization processes, where societal norms and expectations influence how males and females internalize and derive meaning from prosocial behaviors. For instance, females might place greater emotional value on relationships and community bonding aspects of volunteering, thus experiencing amplified boosts in subjective well-being and social integration. Conversely, males might be more responsive to the aspects of volunteering that involve challenge and mastery, thereby enhancing their sense of competence and efficacy.
Moreover, the study’s findings provide nuanced insights into how volunteering can be strategically integrated within educational curricula and student support services. Recognizing the divergent psychosocial benefits along gender lines allows educators and policymakers to tailor volunteering opportunities that effectively target and maximize positive outcomes for diverse student groups. Such customized approaches can be instrumental in fostering inclusive and supportive academic ecosystems that nurture holistic student growth.
Technically, the study employed a cross-sectional design supplemented with rigorous statistical techniques including multivariate regression analyses and interaction term modeling to parse out the complex relationships between volunteering, gender, and psychological variables. The sample, comprising a wide demographic spectrum of university students, strengthens the generalizability of the results. Furthermore, the researchers controlled for potential confounding variables such as baseline mental health status, socioeconomic background, and academic workload, thus enhancing the internal validity of the conclusions drawn.
From a neuroscientific perspective, the observed benefits of volunteering may be underpinned by activation within key brain regions associated with reward processing, social cognition, and self-regulation. Engaging in altruistic activities can stimulate dopaminergic pathways resulting in pleasurable experiences, as well as oxytocin release facilitating social bonding. Although not directly measured in this study, future interdisciplinary research linking neurobiological markers to psychosocial outcomes could substantiate these proposed mechanisms.
An important caveat addressed by the authors concerns the temporal dimension of volunteering’s impact. The study’s cross-sectional methodology precludes causal inference, meaning it remains unclear whether volunteering actively enhances happiness, social connectedness, and self-efficacy, or if inherently happier and more connected students are simply more inclined to volunteer. Longitudinal and experimental designs are needed to disentangle these possibilities and establish directionality.
Nevertheless, the current research furnishes a compelling argument for the institutional promotion of volunteering as a mental health and educational intervention. By providing structured and diverse opportunities for students to engage meaningfully with their communities, universities can harness the psychological dividends demonstrated herein. This approach resonates with growing global advocacy for embedding social responsibility within higher education frameworks, aligning academic achievement with broader humanistic values.
In terms of practical applications, university counseling centers and student affairs departments might consider partnerships with local organizations to facilitate volunteer placements. Additionally, integrating reflection sessions on volunteering experiences into academic curricula could enhance self-awareness and reinforce the psychosocial benefits by encouraging students to consciously process their personal growth and social contributions.
The implications extend beyond individual students to encompass broader societal benefits. By nurturing a generation of students with reinforced happiness, social integration, and self-efficacy, the foundations for active citizenship and community engagement are laid. Such outcomes bode well for societal cohesion and resilience, particularly in an era marked by increasing social fragmentation and mental health challenges.
Ultimately, the work of Alganami and Keshky illuminates a critical, yet often overlooked, dimension of student life. Volunteering emerges not merely as an extracurricular activity but as a potent psychosocial catalyst capable of enriching students’ emotional lives, social networks, and self-beliefs. By recognizing and harnessing these multifarious benefits, educational institutions can promote a more holistic and equitable approach to student development.
As the global higher education sector continues to grapple with the complexities of student mental health crises and retention challenges, the insights offered by this research highlight volunteering as a scalable, cost-effective, and psychologically enriching intervention. The gendered nuances further encourage personalized strategies that respect individual differences while promoting collective well-being.
In the broader context of positive psychology and prosocial behavior research, this study contributes valuable empirical data that bridges gaps between theory and practice. It underscores the transformative potential of altruism within youth populations, extending benefits beyond recipients to the volunteers themselves in measurable psychological terms.
Future research directions might include exploring the differential impacts of various types of volunteering activities—such as environmental, educational, or healthcare-related projects—on student well-being and efficacy. Additionally, examining cultural variables could provide a more global perspective on how contextual factors influence the volunteering-benefit nexus.
In conclusion, the emergence of volunteering as a pivotal factor in enhancing student happiness, social connectedness, and self-efficacy marks a significant advancement in educational psychology literature. The interplay with gender provides critical insights that deepen our understanding and open avenues for more targeted and effective interventions. This study powerfully emphasizes the dual role of volunteering as an individual developmental tool and a vehicle for social good within academic settings.
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Subject of Research: The psychological and social benefits of volunteering on students, with a focus on happiness, social connectedness, and self-efficacy, considering the moderating effect of gender.
Article Title: Does volunteering benefit students’ happiness, social connectedness, and self-efficacy? An interaction with gender.
Article References:
Alganami, F.H., Keshky, M.E.S.E. Does volunteering benefit students’ happiness, social connectedness, and self-efficacy? an interaction with gender.
BMC Psychol 13, 553 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02886-8
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