Role of leisure-generated meanings in adaptation to acculturation stress of Korean immigrants in Canada

Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that leisure-generated meanings would buffer acculturation stress on the psychological and sociocultural adaptation of Korean immigrants (n = 120) in a western Canadian city. Analyses of survey data show that acculturation stress is significantly associated with lower life satisfaction and self-esteem, poorer mental health, and sociocultural adaptation. The study only supports the main effects of leisure-generated meanings on life satisfaction and self-esteem (as indicators of psychological adaptation), but not the leisure buffer model. All of the leisure adaptation meanings (i.e., leisure companionship, leisure mood enhancement, leisure palliative coping, leisure rejuvenation, and leisure adjustment) and most of the global leisure meanings (i.e., group harmony, leisure friendship, self-development, and ethnic identity) predict higher life satisfaction and self-esteem. The findings suggest that meaning-making through leisure appears to be culturally contextualized and seems to be a significant predictor of effective psychological adaptation to acculturation stress. Implications and recommendations are discussed.