Mainland Chinese Canadian Immigrants' Leisure Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being: Results of a Two-Year Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine whether recent Chinese Canadian immigrants' (a) leisure satisfaction, happiness, and life satisfaction changed over a two-year period and (b) if leisure satisfaction affected their subjective well-being (SWB) over this same period. Participants completed an initial, trilingual telephone questionnaire (N = 220) and then were recontacted every six months for two years. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that leisure satisfaction decreased over the two-year period, likely because of “leisure shock,” employment of a “withdrawn” strategy, or both. The results also showed that leisure satisfaction significantly and positively affected happiness and life satisfaction. Study limitations are identified, theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and future research recommendations are outlined.     

The Effects of Ethnicity and Leisure Satisfaction on Happiness,Peacefulness, and Quality of Life

The purpose of this study was to examine how ethnicity and leisure satisfaction affected people's happiness, peacefulness, and quality of life. A trilingual telephone survey of Chinese/Canadians (N = 261) and British/Canadians (N = 258) was conducted. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that sex had no significant effect on any regressors. Ethnicity significantly affected standard of living, achieving in life, and life as a whole. Overall leisure satisfaction significantly affected happiness, peacefulness, and all nine quality of life domains. Canonical correlations also showed that happiness and achieving in life were positively correlated for British/Canadians and happiness and personal relationships were positively correlated for some Chinese/Canadians. Peacefulness was positively correlated with spirituality/religion and community connectedness, but negatively correlated with personal relationships, for some Chinese/Canadians. Implications and research recommendations are provided.     

Serious Leisure,Life Satisfaction,and Health of Older Adults

This study explored the relationships among serious leisure, life satisfaction, and health. The study sample consisted of 454 older adults from two annual events: the 2008 Indiana Senior Olympic Games and 2008 Colorado Senior Olympic Games. Cluster analysis was used to identify distinct groups based upon patterns of serious leisure involvement. In addition, relations among life satisfaction, health, and membership in serious leisure clusters were documented. This analysis resulted in three clusters, and they were named high/medium/low involvement groups. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to determine cluster differences in life satisfaction, physical health, and mental health. MANOVA results revealed significant differences among the clusters on dependent variables. The findings document significant heterogeneity in the expression of serious leisure involvement among the Senior Games participants. The results also suggest that there are positive relationships between level of involvement in serious leisure and life satisfaction and health.     

Cultural Consonance in Leisure,Leisure Satisfaction,Life Satisfaction,and Self-Rated Health in Urban Taiwan

The purpose of this study threefold: to determine whether a shared cultural model of the importance of a set of leisure activities to a good leisure life existed in urban Taiwan, the degree to which cultural consonance in leisure mediates the relationship between leisure constraints and leisure satisfaction, and the degree to which leisure satisfaction affects life satisfaction and self-rated health. Results indicate that a cultural model of the importance of leisure activities to a good leisure life existed among sample members. Second, higher levels of self-reported participation in leisure activities that are culturally agreed upon as more important for a good leisure life are more strongly associated with leisure satisfaction than are activities culturally agreed upon as less important. Finally, leisure satisfaction strongly predicts both life satisfaction and self-rated health.     

Leisure Constraints,Leisure Satisfaction,Life Satisfaction,and Self-Rated Health in Six Cities in Taiwan

Extensive research shows that individuals in lower socioeconomic statuses experience higher levels of morbidity and mortality than those of higher social status. This disparity remains even after lifestyle changes such as reduced smoking, improved diet, more exercise, and better access to medical care are afforded to those of lower status. According to Fundamental Social Cause Theory (FSCT), access to valued resources, including environmental, social, and psychological factors, mediates the relationship. The purpose of this study is to determine if leisure constraints, leisure satisfaction, and life satisfaction are among the variables that mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and self-rated health in six cities in Taiwan. Results indicated that leisure related variables, including leisure constraints and leisure satisfaction, mediate the relationship between SES and self-rated health. The results suggest the value of FSCT as a framework for examining the relationship of leisure related variables to health.     

Nature-based recreation associated with connectedness to nature and leisure satisfaction among students in Brazil

ABSTRACT

There is growing evidence that nature-based recreation (NBR) during childhood promotes connectedness to nature, which in turn fuels NBR during adulthood. In addition to providing a number of health benefits, NBR participation may enhance leisure satisfaction, an important predictor of happiness and life satisfaction. In this exploratory study, we tested these hypothesised links using a path model with a cross-sectional sample of 224 Brazilian college students, where NBR participation during childhood increases connectedness to nature and NBR participation during adulthood, which in turn promotes leisure satisfaction. The model fit the data well χ² (2) = 1.924, χ²/df = 0.962 (N = 220, p = .38), CFI = 1.00, AGFI = .978, GFI = .996, and RMSEA = .00, with results showing an indirect positive link between NBR during childhood and leisure satisfaction, and a direct link between NBR during adulthood and leisure satisfaction. The indirect effect of connectedness to nature on leisure satisfaction was also significant: NBR during childhood fostered connectedness to nature, which motivated NBR during adulthood and higher levels of leisure satisfaction. Leisure practitioners can improve people’s leisure satisfaction by promoting engagement in NBR activities across life stages and emphasising connection to nature.     

Does taking vacations make people happy? A regional disparity perspective

This study examines happiness determinants from a regional disparity perspective. Data from a national leisure survey conducted in South Korea was used. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was performed. Findings indicate that leisure satisfaction, vacationing, participation in club activities, participation in volunteer activities, gender, marital status, household income, and education level were significantly related to respondents’ happiness. These determinants were further investigated by regional segmentation. In tests to determine the strength of vacationing and self-rating of leisure satisfaction on happiness, leisure satisfaction was found to be significantly and positively related to happiness levels after controlling for respondents’ characteristics.     

休闲活动与主观幸福感

为了探讨休闲活动与主观幸福感之间的关系。文章采用休闲问卷、正性负性情绪量表和生活满意度量表对460名员工进行了调查。结果表明：（1）性别、是否有孩子等人口学变量影响休闲活动;（2）休闲活动对主观幸福感中的正性情绪和生活满意度有显著的正向预测作用,对负性情绪没有预测作用。     

Leisure Constraints Affecting Experienced Martial Arts Participants

The experienced constraints of participants in leisure and recreation programs have not been thoroughly investigated; nevertheless, these constraints can influence levels of satisfaction and commitment and the decision to drop out or continue participating. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the extent to which constraints predict member satisfaction and commitment and (b) to examine the relationship between socio-demographic variables and the influence of constraints among martial arts participants. The target population evaluated for this study consisted of individuals aged at least 18 years or older who had attended a martial arts school. A total of 595 participants were recruited through on-site and online test administrations. The findings of this study revealed that martial arts consumers of various socio-demographic backgrounds had different perceptions of constraining factors that affected their attendance at martial arts schools.     

Serious leisure among older gardeners in Australia

Activities such as gardening are fast becoming acknowledged as a much desired health management strategy in later life. However, few studies have examined gardening as a serious leisure pursuit. The aim of this study was to apply the concept of serious leisure to the context of leisure gardening by older adults in Australia. Casual, participant and devotee gardeners were compared with respect to the relative importance of the characteristics of serious leisure, using self-administered questionnaires (n = 514). Findings indicated that characteristics of serious leisure varied significantly across the three groups. The most powerful discriminating characteristics were Identity, Unique Ethos and Significant Effort; with Identity particularly important for devotee gardeners. The deeper the level of engagement, the more gardening was perceived as contributing to overall life satisfaction. Findings indicated that gardening could be a serious leisure pursuit that assists in the development of a positive leisure identity and contributes to a more mobile and active life for older adults.     

Relationships between leisure activity types and well-being in older adults

This study investigates the relationships between specific types of leisure activities and well-being variables (i.e. health perception, life satisfaction and optimism) in older adults. A convenience sample of 188 participants ranging in age from 60 to 90 years (M = 74.99, SD = 5.49) was recruited from three different senior centres in Korea. Three hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between specific types of leisure activities (outdoor, physical, hobbies and indoor, cultural, home-centred and social and volunteering) and outcome variables. After controlling for covariates, it was revealed that home-centred and social activities were associated with all outcome variables. Volunteer activities were positively related to health perception and life satisfaction. Positive relationships were also observed between life satisfaction and physical activities, optimism and cultural activities and health perception and outdoor activities. These findings suggest that promoting positive social interaction in recreational settings and encouraging participation in volunteer activities are important factors contributing to successful ageing.     

Work and leisure in Taiwan: examining the antecedents and consequences of work-leisure conflicts

This research examines the antecedents and consequences of work-leisure conflicts in Taiwan. Derived from a sample of 440 Taiwanese respondents, it was found that a heavy workload is a critical source that may induce work-leisure conflicts; moreover, the conflicts between work and leisure may potentially lower the life satisfaction of full-time workers. However, the establishment of work-life segmentation can alleviate work-leisure conflicts. Furthermore, this study suggests that an active behavioural leisure attitude is potentially beneficial to increase life satisfaction, even for employees who experience high levels of work-leisure conflicts. This study concludes with recommendations for the success of managing the work-leisure conflicts of full-time workers as well as the enhancement of their life satisfaction.     

Forensic Leisure Science: A New Frontier for Leisure Scholars

This study examined patterns of continuity and change in leisure behavior of recently retired individuals. The study investigated post-retirement leisure behavior in an Israeli national sample. It explored the differences among four defined groups: reducers, concentrators, diffusers and expanders, and measured their leisure participation and life satisfaction. Results indicated that the expanders and the concentrators enjoyed a significantly higher life satisfaction. The findings supported activity theory and continuity theory. They also led to the conclusion that for people who had a limited leisure repertoire prior to retirement, experiencing new activities was just as important as continuity in the adaptation process of retirement.     

Innovation Theory Revisited: Self-Preservation Innovation versus Self-Reinvention Innovation in Later Life

The innovation theory of successful aging differentiates between Self-Preservation Innovation (SPI) and Self-Reinvention Innovation (SRI), suggesting that both contribute to well-being in later life. Based on a telephone survey of 545 retirees aged 60 and over, this study aimed at examining the two types of innovation in leisure and their association with well-being. Results indicated that SPI activities were significantly more common than SRI activities and that innovators who reported adding the former had significantly higher life satisfaction than the rest of the sample. No such difference was found regarding innovators who added SRI activities. Moreover, the study showed that it was not the type of innovation but rather its result—namely, a greater leisure repertoire among innovators—that predicted postretirement life satisfaction. Results are discussed regarding each tenet of the theory, elucidating directions of future research.     

Serious leisure and depression in older adults: a study of pickleball players

Depression rates among older adults have been increasing. Moreover, older adults experiencing depression also have to contend with increased healthcare costs. Depression is commonly regarded as an indicator of well-being, and a number of studies have examined the protective factors related to depression in older adults. While the literature has shown that engaging in serious leisure is associated with well-being of older adults, the relationship between depression and serious leisure has not been examined. This study explores the relationship between depression, serious leisure, optimism, and social integration. A total of 153 older adults competing in pickleball tournaments participated in this study. The results revealed that serious leisure and depression were inversely related, which implies that commitment to serious leisure is associated with lower levels of depression in older adults. Further analysis correlating the qualities of serious leisure with depression revealed that career progression and career contingencies were associated with depression. Given the importance of career development among most pickleball participants, we suggest that the unique contribution of career progress and career contingencies on depression is plausible. This study builds on previous research in this field and suggests that serious leisure is important for the well-being of older adults.     

Segmentation of Mega Event Motivation: The Case of Expo 2010 Shanghai China

The purpose of this study was to examine the motives of Chinese nationals who attended the Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, and to understand their perceptions about service quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. The results of this study revealed six motivation factors and three mutually exclusive clusters based on their motives. In particular, the “multipurpose experience seekers” showed more favorable service quality perceptions and higher satisfaction than their counterparts. The three segments based on their motivation also demonstrated significant differences in selected sociodemographic variables, which could be used effectively by the event organizers. Marketing implications and suggestions for attracting visitors to a mega event were presented.     

The Role of Life Experiences on Perceptions of Leisure During Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis

This study examined the life experiences of adults and their effect on perceptions of leisure. Data for this study came from A Study of Leisure during Adulthood (ASOLDA), a 10-year study of the values, attitudes, and perceived freedom in leisure of 84 adults. Individual growth curve modeling was used to explore patterns and change within leisure domains for the sample. Life structure predicted adults’ perceived freedom in leisure while life events were predictive of adults’ leisure attitudes. Data from interviews were used to supplement the survey data to provide a better understanding of the predictors of leisure perceptions in this study.     

Towards quality of life: the effects of the wellness tourism experience

ABSTRACT

The wellness tourism sector has experienced a significant worldwide increase. This study aimed to identify the relationships between customer experience, leisure and non-leisure satisfaction, and quality of life in wellness tourism. Specifically, customer experience was evaluated with four dimensions of the experience economy: entertainment, educational, esthetic, and escapist. The findings of this study indicate that customer experience influences leisure satisfaction, which consequently leads to non-leisure satisfaction. It was also found that both leisure and non-leisure satisfaction contribute to customer quality of life. This study provides industry practitioners with practical knowledge for promoting traveler quality of life through wellness tourism and designing effective marketing strategies to this end.     

Serious Leisure as an Avenue for Nurturing Community

Using a communitarian framework to explore relationships between individuals and community, survey research was used to examine relationships among volunteers’ personal value orientations of individualism and collectivism, experiences of volunteering as serious leisure, and perceptions of sense of community and social cohesion. Based on survey responses from 300 current volunteers at ten voluntary organizations, findings linked collectivism and individualism to serious leisure, which in turn strongly associated with sense of community and social cohesion. In these empirical findings, serious leisure emerged as a pathway for nurturing community.     

The social world and event travel career of the serious yoga devotee

Serious leisure and social world theory provide a framework to qualitatively examine a small number of yoga participants with regard to their social world connections and propensity to engage in event tourism. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 15 yoga practitioners in Brisbane, Australia. For most devotees, yoga was regarded as serious leisure with a social world in which highly involved ‘actors’ participated in a range of ‘insider’ capacities. Social engagement was a strong motivator and having friends involved with, and building strong friendships through yoga was a common denominator. It was found that there was a strong association between the social world of yoga and event tourism, and a new model titled the ‘yoga devotee career trajectory’ was developed. Yoga was considered to be a unique and personal journey which became a complete lifestyle involving continuous learning and self-exploration. Theoretical and future research implications were also discussed.