Factors Predicting Volunteer Engagement Among Urban-Residing African American Women

Research has shown that urban-residing African American women engage in volunteer work at impressive rates. However, few studies have empirically assessed the factors that account for volunteerism within this population. This study explores the relationship between demographic variables, early religious involvement, current religious involvement, empathy, perspective taking, and volunteer engagement among African American women residing in a large urban center (N = 211). Findings from multivariate analyses revealed that current religious involvement positively predicted women's volunteer engagement. Age was found to negatively predict volunteer engagement but positively predict the number of hours women spend volunteering per year. The implications of these findings are discussed and future lines of research considered.