COVID-19's impact on leisure coping and smartphone use

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on post-secondary students’ mental health and their leisure coping. This study aimed to explore post-secondary students’ use of smartphones for leisure coping and how this was impacted by the pandemic. Data were collected through an online anonymous survey, with measures related to leisure coping beliefs and strategies, perceived effectiveness (immediate adaptational outcomes), perceived stress, and feelings of anxiety. Results (n = 222) found that the majority of students (64.32%) report using their smartphone for coping and that this coping is perceived as effective by those who use their smartphone for this purpose. Using one’s smartphone for coping could also be considered leisure coping as students using it for this purpose had significantly higher scores in leisure coping beliefs (p = .005) and strategies (p < .001) as they relate to their smartphones. Participants’ comments support these findings, with additional explanations of how the pandemic impacted their leisure coping and use of technology. This chapter discusses the pandemic’s impact on leisure coping and suggests revision to the Hierarchical Dimensions of Leisure Stress Coping model to consider new digital leisure.