Document Type
Article
Abstract
Past and present Girl Scout Volunteer Leaders (GSVLs) in a regional Girl Scout council were sampled to determine the factors that theoretically lead to self-role merger as a GSVL. Self-role merger as a GSVL exists when interacting with others, as a GSVL, is important in sustaining one's sense of worth as a person. The relationship between self-role merger and tenure as a GSVL was also examined. A test of hypotheses shows that the following variables are strongly related with self-role merger: a sense of achievement gained through role performances, the friendships developed through volunteering, and the extent of activities performed by the GSVL and her troop. A moderate, positive association was found between self-role merger scores and tenure; however, the strength of the relationship was much stronger for GSVLs whose daughters had previously left scouting. These findings support the structural symbolic interactionist theory of GSVLs developed in this article. Regional Girl Scout councils should consider these findings when developing strategies to retain GSVLs
Recommended Citation
Arwood, Donald E.; Brandt, Linda; Karsky, Jason; and Sanner, Forrest
(2002)
"Tenure of Girl Scout Volunteer Leaders: An Issue of Self-Role Merger,"
Great Plains Sociologist: Vol. 14:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/greatplainssociologist/vol14/iss1/3