Saudi Arabia, Volunteering and the Relationship with Youth Well-Being

Abstract

Previous studies have documented the positive outcomes and benefits of volunteering. However, much of this research has been conducted among so-called WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic) populations. This study aimed to examine the relationships between volunteering and several well-established components of well-being (i.e., sleep quality, purpose, confidence, social connection) among a convenience sample of young adult volunteers in Saudi Arabia (N = 182). We hypothesized that those who volunteer more frequently would experience higher levels of well-being. The results were supportive, showing that individuals who volunteered more regularly reported higher levels of well-being across all assessed components. Specifically, loneliness was negatively correlated with volunteering frequency, and volunteering frequency was positively associated with reporting a larger friendship network. We also found associations between loneliness and poor sleep. The findings are discussed in relation to public health strategy, exploring how volunteering may contribute to promoting population-level well-being, as well as to Saudi Arabia’s national Vision 2030 agenda, which prioritizes well-being and community involvement for national development.