The Effect of Physical Activity and Selected Games in Leisure Time on the Feeling of Loneliness, Self-Efficacy, and Life Expectancy of Elderly Women

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of physical activity and selected games in leisure time on the feeling of loneliness, self-efficacy, and life expectancy in elderly women. The research was a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest with a control group. The statistical population included elderly women aged over 60 years old in Mashhad's elderly homes. 50 available women were selected as participants. The subjects were divided into three groups: physical activity, game, and control. The subjects (physical activity and game groups) participated in the exercise program with 45 minutes per session and three sessions per week for 8 weeks. The instruments included a questionnaire of UCLA loneliness scale (Russell, 1996), self-efficacy scale (Sherer et al., 1982), and Life expectancy scale (Snyder, 2002). SPSS 24 was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that there is a significant difference between the results of the game group and the control group based on loneliness (P<0.05). Also, there is a significant difference between the results of the game and physical activity groups with the control group based on self-efficacy and life expectancy of elderly women (P<0.05). It can be said that playing games in leisure time have a more significant impact than physical activity on loneliness, self-efficacy, and life expectancy in elderly women.