Is community participation empirical evidence for psychological empowerment? A distinction between passive and active participation

This study investigates the relationship between community participation and a set of psychological variables linked to personal empowerment. The sample includes four community groups and one comparison group for a total of 412 participants. Results show that participation viewed in quantitative terms (i.e. frequencies and size) is not linked to personal empowerment. Differences are only significant when the active/passive dimension of participation is taken into account. Seniority (i.e. number of years in a particular community group) also explain a significant difference between the participants' personal empowerment level. Authors conclude that further investigation is necessary to specify the actual link between active community participation and personal empowerment.