"It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely help another without helping himself."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson,

Dictionary.com defines giving as follows:  to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation. The simple act of giving of one's time, talent or treasure has been shown to have significant physical and mental health benefits. Giving has been shown to benefit children, adolescents and adults.

Giving Across the Life-Span

For children and adolescents, philanthropy will have an impact for the rest of their lives.  Studies have shown that those children who have the opportunity to serve others have access to an increased number of Developmental Assets-Building Blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.  The opportunity to serve others by giving of one's time, talent or treasure increases the likelihood that children will have access to positive adult role models, the opportunity to engage in creative activities and programs geared toward their age group and be a member of a religious community.  Children with the opportunity to serve others grow to be caring individuals with interpersonal competence, to be a person who supports equality and social justice...and is one who is more likely to read for pleasure. There are even more benefits than these.  Children with access to greater numbers of developmental assets are more likely later to engage in prosocial and adaptive behaviors such as exhibiting leadership qualities, talking care of their health and succeeding in school.  They are also less likely to engage in antisocial and maladaptive behaviors such as engaging in illicit drug use and violence.  

For more information about Development Assets, please visit http://www.search-institute.org/research/developmental-assets.

Children and adolescents who become accustomed to giving of their time, talent and treasure are very likely to continue this behavior into adulthood.  These are the children born of the resurgence of community service and the inception of service learning.  Giving of themselves feels good and begets more giving.  This giving is often continued throughout their lives.    

Giving is beneficial across the lifespan-and may even lengthen one's lifespan. Whether because of the health benefits or some other variable, giving is related to lower mortality rates among aging individuals. This relationship holds when pre-existing health conditions are taken into account. 

A Prescription for Giving

Philanthropy has shown to be essential in terms of psychological and physical health and longevity. By engaging in philanthropic behaviors a positive self-view is achieved, and of course, a positive self-view is a cornerstone of mental health. Engaging in philanthropic behaviors helps the immune and cardiovascular systems. Philanthropy has shown to benefit all age groups.

From a public health perspective, one that aims to improve and protect community health, it seems it would make sense to encourage giving-and we do.  Schools, religious institutions and community groups have a long history of encouraging philanthropy.  Might we see such encouragement from health professionals as well?  Guess why the focus of this newsletter is on giving. 

Consider yourself prescribed.

by: 

Sheryl L. Pipe, Ph.D and Joshua M. Pipe

Sheryl L. Pipe, PhD

Minding What Matters, Co-Editor

Psychology Permit Holder

TP #123-026