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Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1026/0012-1924/a000098

Das Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI; Clary et al., 1998) ist ein Inventar zur Erfassung der Motivation zu freiwilligem Engagement. Es misst sechs Funktionen von Freiwilligenarbeit: Erfahrungsfunktion, Karrierefunktion, Schutzfunktion, Selbstwertfunktion, soziale Anpassungsfunktion und Wertefunktion. Die vorliegende Studie stellt die deutsche Adaptation sowie eine bisher fehlende Konstruktvalidierung des VFI mit vergleichbaren motivationalen Konstrukten vor. An einer Stichprobe von N = 2 255 sozial-karitativ tätigen Freiwilligen wurden die psychometrischen Eigenschaften sowie die Konstruktvalidität überprüft. Die Sechs-Faktoren-Struktur bestätigte sich. Die internen Konsistenzen der Funktionen erwiesen sich als zufriedenstellend und nahe an den Werten der Originalstudie liegend. Zur ergänzenden Konstruktvalidierung des VFI wurden zwei motivationale Konstrukte aus der Selbstbestimmungstheorie herangezogen: die Handlungsregulationen (intrinsische und extrinsische Motivation) sowie die Kausalitätsorientierungen (Autonomie-Orientierung und Kontroll-Orientierung). Die Zusammenhänge dieser Konstrukte mit den VFI-Funktionen fielen gemäss den theoretischen Annahmen aus. Die deutsche Adaptation ist als erfolgreich zu bezeichnen.


Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI): Psychometric properties of the German adaptation and construct validation

The Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI; Clary et al., 1998) is an inventory to assess the motivation underlying volunteerism. It measures six functions for volunteering: understanding, career, protective, enhancement, social, and values. This study presents the German adaptation and a so far missing construct validation of the VFI with comparable motivational constructs. Psychometric properties and construct validation were examined with N = 2,255 charitably engaged volunteers. The six-factor structure was confirmed. The functions’ internal consistencies were satisfying and close to the values of the original study. For the supplementary construct validation of the VFI, two motivational constructs from self-determination theory were used: behavioral regulations (intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) and causality orientations (autonomy-orientation and control-orientation). Correlations between these constructs and the VFI-functions were consistent with the theoretical assumptions. The German adaptation was successful.

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