Impact of service-learning and civic engagement on psychological wellbeing of university students

Abstract

Traditions of Eudaimonism and Altruism advocate helping behavior and community engagement as sources of psychological and social wellness. Previous literature concludes inconsistent impact of the altruistic phenomena of Service-learning and Civic engagement in predicting psychological wellbeing in the student sample. Little is known about their impact in Pakistan where the phenomena of Service-learning and Civic Engagement are being prioritized alongside higher education. This research is aimed at studying the impact of service-learning and civic engagement on the psychological wellbeing and its components among students. 276 undergraduates from Islamabad, in service learning (n=119) and non service learning group (n=157) consented to participate and completed Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing (PWBS) Scale (Ryff, 1996) and Civic Engagement (CES) Scale (Doolittle & Faul, 2013). Results revealed both Civic Attitude and Civic Behavior components of Civic Engagement as significantly predicting increase in Psychological Wellbeing and its components, except Autonomy. Service-learning remained non significant in predicting increase in Psychological Wellbeing and its components; rather completing the course predicted significant decrease in Personal Growth of students. Striking gender differences in Psychological Wellbeing across Service-learning and non Service-learning group are discussed in context of traditional gender role socialization in the region. Limitations and recommendations for practice and research are also discussed. These findings emphasize the need to evaluate the current service-learning curriculum design and practice to foster psychological wellbeing in students, and inform future research in Service-learning and role of cultural norms in dictating Psychological Wellbeing of the two genders in Pakistani context.