Experiential Features of Volunteering Predict Changes in College Students’ Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Skills

Using an exploratory quasi-experimental design, the present research investigated SEB skills as an antecedent and consequence of volunteering in a sample of college students who were either actively volunteering (N = 169) or not (N = 286). Results indicated that more skilled students participated in volunteering, but volunteering, in general, did not predict positive SEB skill change. However, participants who reported interacting with others while volunteering experienced growth in socially relevant skills. Participants who reported positive subjective evaluations of volunteering also experienced growth in several SEB skills. These findings suggest that domain relevant actions, as well as subjective experiences of engaging in those actions, may be critical for positive SEB skill development.