Table 2 Description of the factors from the factor analysis
From: What motivates and demotivates emergency response volunteers? A survey-based factor analysis study
Factor | Description |
|---|---|
Self-image | Feeling pride about volunteering and the volunteering initiatives they are part of. Perceiving it as personally important to volunteer, and that volunteering is a part of one’s self-image |
Burden after alerts | Whether letting go after the alert in case of either a missed, turned down, or accepted and acted on alert is perceived as challenging. Also concerns guilt of not being able to act on alerts |
External motivation | If conveying a positive image of oneself to others and receiving recognition from others is a motivating factor, and if receiving public recognition for their contributions would be motivating |
Feedback | Wanting to know the outcome after acting on an alert, and whether knowing outcome would be motivating. Because the items load negatively, a high factor score indicates not wanting to know outcome and not being motivated by knowing the outcome |
Community | Perceiving that they are helping their community by volunteering, and if helping others by volunteering feels meaningful |
Competence | Whether one feel competent for the role as volunteer and in handling emergencies in everyday life. The factor also includes whether one feels doubt in being able to help in certain situations (this item was reverse coded) |
Feeling unneeded | If not feeling needed at an emergency site would be frustrating and demotivating, and if they feel less inclined to act on alerts where they do not think they will be needed. Also, whether it would be demotivating to rarely receive alerts |
Training | The perceived importance of receiving extensive initial training and continuous training for the role |
Alarm fatigue | Whether alerts are perceived as burdening and stressing, and if receiving alerts at any time of the day would be strenuous. The factor also includes if receiving too many alerts would impact their willingness to volunteer, and if they experience a pressure to respond to alerts |
Enjoyment | If being a volunteer and receiving alerts are fun, and whether being a volunteer is an enjoyment |
Support | Wanting to have available support from psychologists and feedback from professionals, the need for support from family and friends, importance of meeting and talking to other volunteers about the role and whether the role can be psychologically or emotionally tough |
Negative experience | Feeling that other people in the volunteering initiative care for the person, if the role as volunteer has fulfilled their expectation, and whether it has been a positive experience. The items were phrased in terms of positive experience but all load negatively, meaning that the factor measures negative experience rather than positive |