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Longitudinal Associations Between Formal Volunteering And Cognitive Functioning, Christine M. Proulx, Angela L. Curl, Ashley Ermer

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

Objectives The present study examines the association between formal volunteering and cognitive functioning over time. We also examine the moderating roles of race, sex, education, and time. Method Using 11,100 participants aged 51 years and older and nine waves of data from the Health and Retirement Survey, we simultaneously modeled the longitudinal associations between engaging in formal volunteering and changes in cognitive functioning using multilevel models. Results Formal volunteering was associated with higher levels of cognitive functioning over time, especially with aspects of cognitive functioning related to working memory and processing. This association was stronger for women than it was …