Abstract
Well-being is key to retaining palliative care volunteers. To identify its determinants, this study transferred a positive education model, the SEARCH framework, which includes six pathways to well-being (Strengths, Emotional management, Attention and awareness, Relationships, Coping, and Habits and goals). A cross-sectional sample of 101 palliative care volunteers involved in France completed online self-questionnaires relating to well-being, SEARCH psychosocial functioning pathways to well-being, and sociodemographic variables. Correlational analyses showed that 5 of the 6 pathways were associated with palliative care volunteers’ well-being (Strengths, Emotional management, Attention and awareness, Relationships, and Coping). A stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that Emotional management, Relationships with family, and Coping based on social support-seeking were predictors, that combined, contributed significantly to palliative care volunteers’ well-being (F (3, 71) = 12.73, p < 0.001), accounting for 35% of the variance. These results confirm the relevance of the framework for studying well-being in this population and indicate its determinants. Identifying the most appropriate pathways to boost well-being among palliative care volunteers may help to develop training and support programs. Overall, the SEARCH framework appears suited, beyond its original field, to the study of how people create well-being. Similar studies should be conducted in other populations to confirm the generalizability of the SEARCH framework.