Changes in Leisure Participation Patterns After Immigration

Abstract

It is well documented that the lifestyles of immigrants undergo significant changes during the postarrival period. Although it cannot be argued that leisure behavior is immune to such changes, very little systematic effort has been devoted to exploring this phenomenon. This article attempts to fill this gap by focusing on postimmigration changes in leisure behavior. The empiric analysis utilizes a hybrid approach that combines qualitative data obtained in a series of in-depth interviews and quantitative data from a mail questionnaire survey. Both the interviews and the survey were conducted in 1996 among recent immigrants from Poland residing in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Jackson and Dunn's (1988) theoretic framework is used to investigate the general patterns of postarrival ceasing and starting of participation. Survey respondents are classified into ceasers, adders, replacers, and continuers, and the proportions in each group are analyzed and compared with the published general-population results. Qualitative data then are used to establish the major causes for the observed postarrival changes in leisure-participation patterns. Then, the analysis is extended to account for activity-based variations in ceasing and starting behavior and those based on age at immigration. Interview material is used to isolate major immigration-related factors that encourage immigrants in various age groups to modify their leisure-participation patterns. It is shown that the observed postarrival participation changes can be attributed partially to past latent demand, to the decreased role of certain interpersonal constraints, and to being exposed to new leisure opportunities.