The effects of program characteristics and psychological engagement on service-learning outcomes: a study of university students in Hong Kong.

This study examines the ways in which program characteristics (i.e., involvement with service users, agency support, and class experience) and psychological engagement interact in university students to affect service-learning outcomes in such areas as personal development and civic commitment. The basic premise is that these two sets of variables may have differing effects on the outcomes. To test this premise, the study employed survey data collected from 113 university students participating in a service-learning program in Hong Kong. The results support the hypothesis that involvement with service users and psychological engagement are the strongest predictors of student outcomes. On the other hand, no support is found for the possibility that agency support and class experience might affect the outcomes. Implications of the findings for further research and future development of service-learning programs are discussed.