Stat! - Medical News & Info

Stat! - Medical News & Info

When Doing Good Boosts Health, Well-Being

Performing acts of kindness and helping other people can be good for people’s health and well-being, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. But not all goodhearted behavior is equally beneficial to the giver. The strength of the link depends on many factors, including the type of kindness, the definition of well-being, and the giver’s age, gender and other demographic factors. The researchers found that random acts of kindness, such as helping an older neighbor carry groceries, were more strongly associated with overall well-being than formal prosocial behavior, such as scheduled volunteering for a charity. Also, women showed stronger relationships between prosociality and several measures of well-being compared with men. The study was published in the journal Psychological Bulletin.

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