Associations between the passive, active, and social leisure participation in the life satisfaction of older adults: a longitudinal analysis of the Korea Retirement and Income Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Old age is an optimal period to have free time and enjoy leisure activities, thus understanding how older adults spend their leisure time and their relationship with life satisfaction is critical. This study aims to examine the longitudinal associations of leisure participation with subsequent life satisfaction in older adults. A nationally representative sample of 5,151 older adults (mean age 71.98 years, 59% female) were selected from the Korea Retirement and Income Study as the participants. Participants were divided into two groups by their employment status – not working and working. Leisure participation was categorized into three domains – passive (e.g. watching TV), active (e.g. exercise), and social (e.g. meeting friends). Life satisfaction was a four-item measure. The multi-group structural equation model showed that all three leisure domains were positively associated with life satisfaction in the non-working group, whereas active leisure participation was not associated with life satisfaction in the working group. These results suggest that the diversity of leisure participation helped enhance later life satisfaction, but its effects were distinct regardless of older adults’ employment status and the types of leisure.