Serious leisure activities and well-being of senior citizens: Case of contract bridge

Abstract

Mind sports such as chess, go and contract bridge are extremely suitable for elderly people who want to engage into a real competition, make social contacts and maintain sharp cognitive performances. Stebbins (1992) introduced a term “serious leisure” to describe active leisure engagement with commitment and dedication, as opposed to “passive leisure” such as watching TV. Major (2001) identified three major types of benefits of serious leisure activities: sense of accomplishment (i.e., self-confidence, power, and control), health and fitness (i.e., physical benefits and stress relief), and social affiliation. The aim of this study was to explore motivation of senior citizens to engage in contract bridge, and to analyse selfreported benefits of the game regarding Major’s classification. We conducted eight semi-structured interviews with senior bridge players (over 65) in Zagreb bridge clubs. Interviews were conducted in face-to-face manner, and they were all audio recorded. Sample consisted of both male and female players who played bridge regularly in clubs for over five years. All participants confirmed that bridge significantly improved quality of their lives. Bridge contributed to their well-being by advancing social affiliation (communicating with people of all ages, finding new friends, getting social support, recognition and status, and going out of home), enchasing sense of accomplishment (learning, solving problems, competing, advancing, and winning), and mental fitness (staying intellectually fit), confirming benefits proposed by Major (2001) serious leisure model. Additionally, retired participants argued that bridge helped them in the transition period, providing basis for time structure and remaining the stable and fulfilling part of their lives. Findings of this research strongly suggest that contract bridge has power to work as a protective mechanism in seniors, due to its social, cognitive, and competitive benefits.