Преимущества добровольчества: соматизация не мешает оптимальному психологическому функционированию?

Вопросы психологии. 2023. Т. 69. № 3. С. 98–106.

Zolotareva A., Хегай А. С., Kazennaya E., Novikova A.

Numerous publications showed the positive impact of volunteering on the somatic and psychological health of the volunteers. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between volunteering engagement, somatization (the tendency to exhibit somatic responses to psychological distress), and psychological functioning (measuring emotional, social, and psychological well-being). The participants were 305 volunteers, comprising 36 men and 269 women aged 14 to 80, who were affiliated with Russian organizations dedicated to aiding people and animals. They completed the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8), Mental Health Continuum-14 (MHS-14), and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 (UWES-9), modified to evaluate the engagement in volunteering. The results showed that 89% of the volunteers rated their health as «good», «very good» or «excellent», while 13% noted that they had «mediocre» health. Moreover, 39% of the participants exhibited a high degree of somatization, and 49% displayed an optimal degree of psychological functioning. The volunteers with an optimal degree of psychological well-being were less likely to experience clinically significant symptoms of somatization and evaluated their physical health as «mediocre». Overall, 36% of the volunteers with clinically significant symptoms of somatization had optimal psychological functioning. A series of regression analyses showed that somatization decreased with increasing experience of volunteering, and the degree of psychological functioning increased with growing experience and enthusiasm in volunteering. Specifically, social well-being was positively associated with engagement in volunteering, and emotional and psychological well-being – with experience and engagement in volunteering. Thus, volunteering has sanogenic effects and should be promoted as a kind of healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: волонтерство, volunteering, соматизация, somatization, optimal psychological functioning, engagement in volunteering, оптимальное психологическое функционирование, увлеченность добровольчеством