This study tests how changes in social background (homeownership status and employment status) and changes in household structure (marital status, number of children, and volunteering behaviors of other household members) influence an individual’s volunteering decision. We use a complex dataset from the US Current Population Survey Volunteer Supplements from 2002 to 2015. We captured the short-term “shock” effect of the changes in life circumstances on the changes in volunteering status; different factors influence start and stop in volunteerism in different ways. A person is more likely to start volunteering when the person became unemployed, when other household members increased their volunteering time, or got married, within a one-year period. Meanwhile, a person who experiences changes in employment, homeownership, or marital status, or has an increase in the number of children is more likely to stop volunteering. Based on the findings, we provide recommendations for those who are interested in volunteer management strategies.

本研究测试了社会背景的变化（房屋所有权状况和就业状况）和家庭结构的变化（婚姻状况、子女数量和其他家庭成员的志愿行为）如何影响个人的志愿服务决定。我们使用了来自 2002 年至 2015 年美国当前人口调查志愿者补充资料的复杂数据集。我们捕捉了生活环境变化对志愿服务状态变化的短期“冲击”效应；不同的因素以不同的方式影响志愿服务的开始和停止。当一个人失业、其他家庭成员在一年内增加了他们的志愿服务时间或结婚时，他更有可能开始志愿服务。同时，一个经历就业、房屋所有权或婚姻状况变化的人，或儿童人数增加更有可能停止志愿服务。根据调查结果，我们为那些对志愿者管理策略感兴趣的人提供建议。