Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students
Abstract This study aims to explore the relationship between college students’ volunteer service experience, self-efficacy and moral identity and college students’ Public Service Motivation(PSM). It provides empirical insights for improving PSM among college students and informs educational programs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95266-6 |
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| author | Xiaoling He Honglin Zhang Zhizhong Hu Yingchun Han |
| author_facet | Xiaoling He Honglin Zhang Zhizhong Hu Yingchun Han |
| author_sort | Xiaoling He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study aims to explore the relationship between college students’ volunteer service experience, self-efficacy and moral identity and college students’ Public Service Motivation(PSM). It provides empirical insights for improving PSM among college students and informs educational programs and policies that can promote a more active and service-oriented youth population. A questionnaire-based study was conducted among college students in Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, using the Volunteer Service Experience Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Moral Identity Scale, and Public Service Motivation Scale. Data were collected from March to May 2023, with participants selected through stratified random sampling to ensure diverse representation from various universities and academic disciplines. A total of 1,400 students participated, with 1,344 valid responses. (1) Volunteer service experience positively influences college students’ Public Service Motivation. (2) Self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between volunteer service experience and PSM. (3) Moral identity also partially mediates the relationship between volunteer service experience and PSM. (4) Both self-efficacy and moral identity function as chain mediators in the pathway from volunteer service experience to PSM. Self-efficacy and moral identity serve as chain mediators between college students’ volunteer service experience and their Public Service Motivation (PSM). Volunteer service experience positively impacts PSM, with self-efficacy and moral identity facilitating this relationship. Specifically, self-efficacy enhances PSM, while moral identity further strengthens this connection. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d96b48c9b45c44aa8e61dcf60eb182df |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-d96b48c9b45c44aa8e61dcf60eb182df2025-08-20T02:10:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-95266-6Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college studentsXiaoling He0Honglin Zhang1Zhizhong Hu2Yingchun Han3School of Public Policy and Management, Nanchang UniversitySchool of Marxism, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaSchool of Public Policy and Management, Nanchang UniversitySchool of Marxism, Nanchang UniversityAbstract This study aims to explore the relationship between college students’ volunteer service experience, self-efficacy and moral identity and college students’ Public Service Motivation(PSM). It provides empirical insights for improving PSM among college students and informs educational programs and policies that can promote a more active and service-oriented youth population. A questionnaire-based study was conducted among college students in Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, using the Volunteer Service Experience Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Moral Identity Scale, and Public Service Motivation Scale. Data were collected from March to May 2023, with participants selected through stratified random sampling to ensure diverse representation from various universities and academic disciplines. A total of 1,400 students participated, with 1,344 valid responses. (1) Volunteer service experience positively influences college students’ Public Service Motivation. (2) Self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between volunteer service experience and PSM. (3) Moral identity also partially mediates the relationship between volunteer service experience and PSM. (4) Both self-efficacy and moral identity function as chain mediators in the pathway from volunteer service experience to PSM. Self-efficacy and moral identity serve as chain mediators between college students’ volunteer service experience and their Public Service Motivation (PSM). Volunteer service experience positively impacts PSM, with self-efficacy and moral identity facilitating this relationship. Specifically, self-efficacy enhances PSM, while moral identity further strengthens this connection.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95266-6Public service motivationVolunteer service experienceSelf-efficacyMoral identity |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoling He Honglin Zhang Zhizhong Hu Yingchun Han Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students Scientific Reports Public service motivation Volunteer service experience Self-efficacy Moral identity |
| title | Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students |
| title_full | Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students |
| title_fullStr | Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students |
| title_short | Mediating role of self-efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among Chinese college students |
| title_sort | mediating role of self efficacy and moral identity in volunteer service and public service motivation among chinese college students |
| topic | Public service motivation Volunteer service experience Self-efficacy Moral identity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95266-6 |
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