What are the Benefits of Leisure? An Exploration Using the Leisure Satisfaction Scale

Abstract

No occupational therapy study appears to have identified comprehensively the influence of different variables on the leisure experience. This study aimed to establish: (1) if there was a difference in the needs satisfied by leisure between people of different ages, sex, and relationship and parental status (people with or without or cohabiting with a partner or children); (2) whether or not different needs were satisfied by different leisure activities; and (3) whether the adapted form of the Leisure Satisfaction Scale (LSS) (Beard and Ragheb 1980) measured leisure satisfaction. Sixty-five nurses completed an adapted form of the LSS for three leisure activities that they engaged in and rated their overall satisfaction with leisure on a scale of 1 to 10. Relevant demographic details were requested. The data were analysed using non-parametric statistics. The findings lent support to the use of the adapted form of the LSS as a valid measure of leisure satisfaction. The findings suggested that leisure satisfaction was not affected by demographic factors, but they supported previous findings that leisure satisfaction was affected by different leisure activities. This study supported the therapeutic use of carefully selected activities to meet individual needs. It also suggested the potential benefit of using the LSS (Beard and Ragheb 1980) in occupational therapy. However, further research to develop related knowledge is needed.