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Does Civic Participation Promote Active Aging in Europe?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Andrea Vega-TinocoOpen the ORCID record for Andrea Vega-Tinoco[Opens in a new window],
Ana Isabel Gil-Lacruz and
Marta Gil-Lacruz
Andrea Vega-Tinoco*
Affiliation:
Department of Business Direction and Organization, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Ana Isabel Gil-Lacruz*
Affiliation:
Department of Business Direction and Organization, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
Marta Gil-Lacruz*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
*
andreavega@unizar.es
anagil@unizar.es
mglacruz@unizar.es
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Abstract

The main objective of this research is to understand how civic participation influences the well-being of older people, thus being a key activity of active aging. In addition, it recognizes differences by gender, age group and generational cohort. The data are drawn from the European Social Survey (2002–2016), considering individuals born before 1965 in 14 European countries. A pseudo-panel has been constructed from the cross-sectional data and a cross-lagged model applied using random effects (n = 1412). In addition to demonstrating that there is a two-way association between civic participation and the indicators of well-being, this study provides empirical evidence that the relationship from past civic participation to present health and happiness is stronger than vice versa. Therefore, this result confirms the causal effect of civic participation on well-being. Consequently, civic participation and its activities promote the well-being of the elderly and should be encouraged through public and social policies.

Keywords

Civic participationWell-beingOlder adultsGenerational cohortPseudo-panel

Information

Type
Research Papers
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , June 2022, pp. 599 - 614
Copyright
Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research 2021

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