Dynamite News
Helping others benefits emotional and physical health of children, says a study
The research team found that youths who had volunteered in the past year were in better physical health and had a more positive outlook on life. Read further on Dynamite News:
Washington: A recent UTHealth Houston study reveals that children and teens who volunteer to help others often experience emotional and physical growth.
The research team found that youths who had volunteered in the past year were in better physical health, had a more positive outlook on life, and were less likely to have anxiety, depression, or behavioural problems compared to their peers who did not volunteer.
"These study results bring optimism that youth volunteering could be a win-win, where youth are serving society to their own benefit," said Lanza, who is based in Austin, adding, "Further, youths may be joined by household members and others while volunteering, strengthening social bonds while building community."
Parents whose kids volunteered were 33% more likely to say their child was in "very good" to "excellent" health compared to parents whose kids did not volunteer. Those parents were also between 18% and 35% less likely to say their child had battled depression or anxiety, or had behavioral problems, in the past year.
Moreover, children and teens who did volunteer work were 66% more likely to be "flourishing" - defined based on how parents answered questions about their kids' curiosity, willingness to complete tasks, and ability to stay calm when faced with challenges. (ANI)