Participation in Community Leisure Programs: Experiences and Perspectives of Children with Developmental Difficulties and Their Parents

Children with developmental disabilities participate in more solitary, sedentary, and home-based leisure activities than active physical pursuits or community-based activities. Clinical experience suggests that children with less well-recognized developmental difficulties also have compromised leisure experiences; however, this has not been fully investigated. This study engaged 20 school-age children with developmental difficulties in a community-based circus program, designed in collaboration with occupational therapists. The program included activities such as trampolining, trapeze, and acrobatics. Semi-structured interviews with children and parents explored children's leisure experiences both at circus and more broadly. Qualitative content analysis revealed that friendships, having fun, and being physically active were highly valued aspects of leisure. The coaching style and “just right” level of challenge within programs were identified as central to children's engagement and sense of competence. Participating in a supported leisure program such as circus appeared to promote children's engagement in community leisure, at least in the short term.     

The Effects of Depression on Leisure: Varying Relationships Between Enjoyment,Sociability, Participation,and Desired Outcomes in College Students

Depression leads to negative mood and affect, difficulty experiencing enjoyment in chosen activities (anhedonia), and a reduced desire for social interaction. This study compared 974 college students with different levels of depression (minimal, mild, and moderate to severe) relative to their desired outcomes for leisure, and their enjoyment of, participation and sociability in, different types of chosen leisure activities. Findings indicated consistency in their desired outcomes students, yet there were differences in how social they chose to be, the extent to which they partook, and how much enjoyment they perceived during their leisure participation. In addition, in several activities only a mild state of depression was sufficient to produce differences in leisure involvement. The results question whether depressed individuals experience “leisure” in the same manner as nondepressed individuals and whether elements of “leisure” experiences stressing enjoyment and sociability are applicable for individuals with differing levels of nonclinical depression.     

Are social media bad for your employees? Effects of at-work break activities on recovery experiences

Since social media has become a fundamental part of the daily activities of people, the purpose of this study was to explore social media use by focusing on job demands that may explain why employees perceive social media are vital for them at work. Further, this study seeks to understand how employees use social media at work to experience recovery. Questionnaires were collected from current frontline hospitality non-managerial and managerial employees in the United States. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data. Results of the study confirm that at-work break activities including social and non-media break activities can be a channel for employees to experience recovery and deal with job demands. Moreover, the results suggest that at-work break activities are an important mediator between job demands and recovery experiences. Social media break activities also moderated the mediation effect of non-social media break activities between job demands and recovery experiences.     

Corporate social responsibility and employee attitudes: evidence from a study of Polish hotel employees

This study, based on data collected from low-ranking employees working in Polish hotels, tests a research model that investigates whether there are links between corporate social responsibility (CSR), operationalized as “self-related” CSR experiences and “others-related” CSR experiences, and job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and between both attitudes and work engagement. Structural equation modelling was used to assess these relationships, using a 20 point questionnaire answered by 412 respondents. The results indicate that “others-related” CSR experiences are positively associated with satisfaction and commitment, while “self-related” CSR experiences with the latter variable. Likewise, organizational commitment, unlike job satisfaction, was linked to work engagement. However, contrary to our a priori assumptions and prior research, it turned out that job satisfaction was not a predictor of commitment. The paper discusses theoretical and practical implications of the findings. The study's most important practical implication is that Polish hotel employees attach weight to responsible behaviour: the hotel industry should perceive CSR in terms of strategic significance. Companies that want a committed and engaged workforce – and, by extension, to enhance their competitiveness – should embrace CSR. The paper concludes by highlighting its limitations and suggesting future research avenues.     

An Integration of Constraints and Benefits Within an Older Women's Social Club: An Examination,Extension and Critique

ABSTRACT

The serious leisure perspective (SLP), which divides leisure activities into three distinct forms (serious, casual, and project-based), has been developed by Robert Stebbins over the last 40 years. This article evaluates the perspective as theory and as a typology. The theory associated with the SLP concerning social worlds, identification, and optimal leisure lifestyles is found to be generally untested because it has been developed in relation to the serious leisure form only. The validity of the typology is questioned on the grounds that “seriousness” is a continuum, rather than discrete categories, and that most leisure activities can be engaged in with varying degrees of seriousness. It is proposed that the SLP be replaced by a more flexible, open research approach, the Leisure Experience Perspective, which consolidates features of the SLP and other research traditions and theoretical perspectives.     

Leisure and Social Capital: An Analysis of Types of Company and Activities

The relation between leisure activities and social capital is examined in this paper. The focus is on two dimensions: the company in which the activities were performed (household members versus friends and acquaintances) and the nature of the activities (productive versus consumptive). Data are employed from a time-use survey conducted in the United Kingdom in 2000. Productive activities are positively related to the social capital indicators of civic engagement and helping, while consumptive activities are not. The type of activity matters more than the type of company. Leisure activities especially further people's social capital among groups that are already gifted with high levels of civic engagement and helping.     

Gangs and Deviant Leisure

The objectives of this study, guided by the principles of the social learning theory, were to explore the participation and motivations of gang members for involvement in deviant leisure activities. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 30 former gang members residing in Chicago and central Illinois. The findings showed that their leisure behavior included house parties that typically included the use of drugs, alcohol, and sex; “hanging around” on street corners and “gangbanging” violence perpetrated against members of opposing gangs or other members of the same gang; and various types of vandalism. Motivations for involvement in deviant leisure included those outlined in the social learning theory, as well as thrill and pleasure from committing crimes and achieving flow-like states. The research confirmed that both individual factors and social processes contributed to explaining gang members' involvement in deviant pastimes.     

Creating Distance from Body Issues: Exploring New Materialist Feminist Possibilities for Renegotiating Gendered Embodiment

Abstract

The body’s active role in the production of gendered embodiments is a key focus for feminist cultural studies and leisure studies. The article draws on new materialist feminist scholarship to explore how gender relations are produced and negotiated in physical culture through one case study example taken from a wider study of young people’s experiences of the body and self-image over time. The article explores how gendered embodiment is assembled through the socio-material circumstances of everyday life. For one particiapnt, 'Ann', “creating distance” from appearance concerns was an embodied process which involved new practices and encounters (e.g., walking for leisure, reading feminist literature) and relationships and engagements with others (e.g., a partner, friends, family). The potential for feminism to open possibilities to imagine the body otherwise is also discussed in relation to recent efforts to foster social justice imperatives in leisure sciences and feminist physical cultural studies.     

Work–leisure conflict and its associations with well-being: The roles of social support,leisure participation and job burnout

In hospitality and tourism industries employees, work–leisure conflict (WLC) resulting from job characteristics can affect work attitudes and personal life. This study revealed that social support has moderating effects on the relationships among work–leisure conflict, leisure participation, job burnout and well-being. Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis of 488 valid questionnaires collected from a sample of employees in the hospitality and tourism industries showed that (1) WLC positively affects job burnout and negatively affects leisure participation and well-being; (2) leisure participation is positively associated with well-being, but burnout is negatively associated with well-being; (3) leisure participation and job burnout have mediating roles in the full model; (4) social support is a moderator in the full model. The analytical results of the study provide a reference for managing employees in the hospitality and tourism industries.     

Exploring the relationship between types of leisure activities and acculturation among Korean immigrants

Research has suggested that leisure engagement facilitates acculturation among immigrants. A dearth of information exists about which types of leisure activities are associated with acculturation among immigrants. This study focused on 434 Korean immigrants in order to determine what types of leisure activities were associated with behavioural acculturation (e.g. language usage and social context) and cultural value acculturation (e.g. collectivism, self-control and success). The results showed that participation in hobbies and indoor activities were the positive predictors of behavioural acculturation, while engagement in cultural and volunteer activities was the negative predictors of behavioural acculturation. In addition, cultural value acculturation had a positive association with social activity engagement, but had a negative association with participation in physical, cultural and volunteering activities. Overall, these findings indicated that engaging in leisure activities is positively associated with acculturation. This study suggests that leisure engagement can be beneficial in the successful acculturation process of the Korean immigrant in Western society.     

Older Men's Perceptions of Leisure and Aging

As the North American population ages, detailed research will be needed to understand the leisure experiences of older adults. The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of leisure and aging among a sample of older Canadian men. Data were collected among 15 men aged 60–70 using individual interviews and follow-up focus groups. Data were analyzed thematically and four themes emerged: the interplay between leisure and work, the desire to “give back” to family or to the community through leisure, the individual purpose of leisure choices, and viewing constraints as a reflection of priorities rather than as barriers.     

中小城市老年人日常休闲活动的时空特征——以常德市武陵区为例

日常休闲活动是老年人健康幸福生活不可或缺的部分。本研究以常德市武陵区为例,运用地理空间分析方法,按照需求-行为-设施分析思路,揭示城市老年人日常休闲活动需求与供给的时空规律。分析发现：（1）益智和康体是城市老年人主要休闲活动类型,休闲活动时间分配存在显著的类型差异,益智类平均时长最长,其次为康体类,公益类休闲活动的平均时长最短。（2）老年人户外休闲活动主要集中在10:00、15:00、19:00三个时间段,对应的活动空间主要集中在居住区、附近街道和城市广场、公园等,活动空间半径存在显著的类型差异。（3）老年人休闲活动需求以及建立在休闲活动需求上的闲暇行为与城市休闲设施供给总体空间匹配度较高,其中游憩类休闲活动与休闲活动设施的匹配度最高,其次是文化类活动,最后是康体类活动。据此建议,中小城市应进一步重视老年人日常休闲活动需求-行为-设施供给三个层面之间的匹配,加强老年友好城市与社区建设。     

Investigating the effects of job demands and job resources on cabin crew safety behaviors

Cabin crews are crucial to the cabin safety performance of airlines, and may enhance air travel safety and alleviate passenger concerns. Within the limited literature devoted to cabin crew related research, this study aims to examine the causal relationships among “job demands”, “job resources” and cabin crew safety behaviors. Data from a survey of 339 flight attendants working for Taiwanese international airlines were analyzed using structural equation modeling. A variety of fit indices confirmed the overall model fit, and all the paths in the model were statistically significant. Framed in the context of the job demands-resources model, the results reveal negative causality between “job demands” and “cabin crew safety behaviors”, whereas “job resources” are positively related to “upward safety communication”, “in-role” and “extra-role” safety behaviors. The implications of the results for practitioners and future research are discussed.     

Family Vacation Activities and Family Cohesion

Family is an important unit of individuals seeking experiences together during vacation. This consumptive unit deserves explicit attention not only because of its market size but also because of ramifications of family vacation on family functioning. This study explores the interplay of vacation activity patterns and family cohesion. It reveals a taxonomy of four types of family travelers with respect to their patterns of activities and needs for cohesion. They are “bonded and nature seeking”; “attached and enthusiastic”; “self-directed and recreation oriented”; and “sociable but static” family travelers. This research provides empirical evidences for the proposition that vacation activities are valuable contributors to family cohesion. Implications are provided pertaining to the development of quality family vacation programs and enhancement of family life satisfaction.     

大陆赴台自由行游客地方认同与休闲效益关系研究

台湾是许多大陆游客向往的休闲胜地, 大陆游客赴台自由行热度的持续升温, 这既给台湾带来巨大的旅游经济效益, 更可增进海峡两岸的民间交流和人民情谊。文章通过实证研究探讨大陆赴台自由行游客对台湾的地方认同及其在台从事休闲活动所获得的休闲效益等程度表现的差异性, 并检验地方认同与休闲效益间的相关性。研究表明, 大陆赴台自由行游客对台湾的地方认同以环境认同程度最高, 依恋程度最低, 其在台湾从事休闲活动所获得的休闲效益以社会效益最高, 生理效益最低;不同个人背景与游程规划的大陆赴台自由行游客在地方认同与休闲效益程度方面有显著的差异;地方认同与休闲效益间呈显著正相关且彼此间存在典型相关关系。研究成果可作为海峡两岸旅游职能部门及旅游企业完善休闲法规、环境与产品组合的参考。     

Leisure and Active Lifestyles: Research Reflections

Leisure researchers have been studying active living for many years. The research, however, has focused more on individual factors than social and environmental determinants that enable physical activity and health. The focus of the introduction to this special issue on “leisure and active lifestyles” is to highlight leisure literature that can be directly tied to active living. These dimensions include outdoor recreation, community recreation areas and facilities, time usage, barriers and constraints, and social interdependence. We provide an overview of the significance of the papers in this special issue and offer some reflections regarding future research related to active living, physical activity, health, and leisure. We underline the value of the holistic approach evident in leisure research and call for broader methods and more collaborative transdisciplinary research.     

Active and Adjusted: Investigating the Contribution of Leisure,Health and Psychosocial Factors to Retirement Adjustment

Engagement in leisure activities during retirement and its relationship to retirement adjustment were investigated. Psychosocial mediators included mastery, self-efficacy for retirement (SE-R) and activities (SE-A), positive (PA) and negative affect (NA). Resources investigated included physical health and finances. Leisure activities examined were social, home entertainment, chores, light exercise, vigorous exercise, and education. Data were gathered from a sample consisting of 243 retirees. Direct predictors of retirement adjustment included finances, health, mastery, SE-R and SE-A. Social activities were the best predictor of a wide range of positive outcomes, including PA, mastery, SE-R and SE-A. Educational activities improved SE-R. Being involved in a broader range of activities was associated with PA, mastery and SE-A. Familiarity and enjoyment of activities were implicated in the maintenance and continuation of activities at post-retirement. Research findings have implications for aged-care and other retirement service providers, as well as for individuals.     

EDITORS' NOTE

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the pre- and post-entry attitudes and expectations of university tourism students. A longitudinal study was conducted over three years to determine the degree of “fit” between employment and employee in the tourism industry, an industry often thought of as providing less than satisfactory working conditions. The study found that students are generally satisfied with their working conditions, but that students tend to have unrealistic expectations about the salary they will attract at graduation. In addition results show a significant increase before and after job entry between the importance given to intellectual challenge and the opportunities for promotion. There was also a significant decrease in the perceived importance of opportunities for travel, combining work and leisure, and outdoor work and an active lifestyle. Students' comments on their employment and educational experiences are included and the implications of this study for educators, researchers, students and industry are discussed.