Leisure Pursuits Research Articles

Attracting junior doctors to rural centres: A national study of work-life conditions and satisfaction.

Junior doctors, in their first four years of medical work, are an important part of the health care team. Attracting and retaining these doctors to rural areas underpins the development of the future rural workforce. This is the first national-scale study about satisfaction of junior doctors, based on their work location, to inform recruitment and retention. Repeat cross-sectional data 2008 and 2015, pooled for analysis. Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life survey. First responses of 4581 pre-vocational doctors working as interns up to their fourth postgraduate year. Differences between metropolitan and rural respondents in satisfaction and positivity on two inventories. Overall work satisfaction was approximately 85% amongst rural and metropolitan junior doctors, but controlling for other factors rural junior doctors had significantly higher overall satisfaction. Rural junior doctors were significantly more satisfied with their work-life balance, ability to obtain desired leave and leave at short notice, personal study time and access to leisure interests compared with metropolitan junior doctors. Metropolitan junior doctors were more satisfied with the network of doctors supporting them and the opportunities for family. While both metropolitan and rural junior doctors are generally satisfied, many professional and personal aspects of satisfaction differ considerably by work location. In order to attract early career doctors, the benefits of rural work should be emphasised and perceived weaknesses mitigated.

Predicting to reduce water pipe smoking in male adolescents: using multi theory model (MTM)

ABSTRACTBackground: Water pipe (WP) smoking has increased and become a major leisure pastime among young people in Iran. The aim of this study was to test MTM in its ability to predict reducing WP smoking in male adolescents.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed with730 high school male students (grades 10–12), who were recruited through multi-stage random sampling in Hamadan city in Western Iran in 2017. We included 200 students who had smoked WP in the 30 past days (current smoker) determined by a screening question. The self-administered questionnaire included information on demographic variables and MTM constructs related to WP smoking. The questionnaire had acceptable validity and reliability.Results: The regression analysis revealed that 35.7% of the variance in initiating reducing WP smoking behavior was predicted by participatory dialog (p < .001) and behavioral confidence (p < .001). Sustenance of reducing WP smoking behavior was predicted up to 13.5% by emotional transformation (p < .001), practice for change (p < .05) and changes in the social environment (p < .05).Conclusions: MTM appears to be a robust theory in its application for reducing WP smoking. This theory must be reified and empirically tested with intervention development for WP smoking behavior in male students.Abbreviations: MTM: Multi-Theory Model; WP: Water pipe

Occupancy, usage and spatial location of second homes in urban China

Since the late 1980s, homeownership in China has rapidly increased, and along with it the phenomenon of second homes. While research on multiple homes in China has examined second homes' ownership and tenure choice, little is known about the usage and spatial location of second homes. Using the nationally representative data from the 2015 China Household Finance Survey, this paper aims at documenting and analyzing the occupancy, usage and location of second homes of urban households in China. About 20% of urban households in China own second homes. Their leading usages are vacancy, renting and helping relatives, with only small percentages used for weekday commuting and leisure. Second homes' usage is influenced by the household's life cycle, socioeconomic status, the homes' and regional characteristics, and it differs among commodity housing and policy-related housing. Second homes are more common in large cities and in heavily urbanized areas, and they tend to be in relative proximity to primary homes. Unlike mature housing markets in Western countries where second homes are used primarily for leisure and income-generation, multiple homeownership in urban China reflects both family life cycle and institutional constraints more so than leisure pursuit.

Retirement and Flow: Can the Casual Leisure Pursuits of Older Adults in Retirement Create the Experience of Flow?

ABSTRACT This study examines the casual leisure activities of older adults and their potential to create flow experiences. Using a qualitative approach, the study found that participants often choose leisure activities based on the perceived enjoyment and potential benefits; maintaining physical and mental health, altruism, or maintaining relationships with friends and family. Analysis revealed that flow-like experiences were facilitated by participants’ purposeful choices and focusing their attention on the immediate task. If participants do not achieve flow, their leisure activities were chosen to contribute positively to their well-being and quality of life.

Monetizing serious leisure: A grounded study of fashion blogshops

This article explores revenue generation and the formation of entrepreneur-like behaviors in the context of a serious pursuit of a personal hobby. Although financial returns and entrepreneurship have been recognized as possible outcomes of serious leisure, they have not been dedicatedly studied from a serious leisure perspective, especially in relation to their contributions and value to serious leisure practice. Drawing on a grounded theory study of the fashion blogshop phenomenon in Singapore and Malaysia, this article presents an empirically supported model that shows revenue generation and entrepreneurial action as integral aspects of a passionate, immersive pursuit of serious leisure. The process of monetization involved an enactment of entrepreneur-like behaviors in acquiring capabilities and discovering opportunities for small-scale business hobby. The results suggest the notion of business as serious leisure and has implications for the place of revenue generation, entrepreneurial action, and business in relation to serious leisure theory.

I can’t. I have dance: dance competition culture as serious leisure and pre-professional training

ABSTRACT This article provides an introductory contextualization to dance competition culture’s evolution since the early 1980s in relationship to serious leisure. Dance competition culture (which includes the for-profit regional and national competition events focused on jazz, contemporary or lyrical dance, hip hop, tap, and ballet and the dance studios that train dancers for these events) is a significant site for dance training in the United States. Using a physical cultural studies lens in relation to the conceptualization of serious leisure, the article suggests that dance competition culture is shifting towards pre-professional dance training thereby changing dance competition culture from a serious leisure pursuit into vocational training.

A Long and Winding Road: Dementia Caregiving With Grit and Grace.

Background and ObjectivesMany dementia caregivers provide care for numerous years. Exhibiting grit, or commitment and persistence in the face of adversity, may bolster their ability to manage caregiving challenges. We explored grit in relationship to memory and behavior problems and response to stressors among women engaged in long-term dementia care.Research Design and MethodsInformed by a life course perspective, and guided by stress-process theory, we interviewed 10 women with a spouse or parent initially diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment 4 times over 10 years. Using Charmaz’s analysis methods and grit as a sensitizing concept, we employed an unfolding analytic strategy involving (a) thematic analysis to identify expressions of grit in response to caregiving stressors across interviews and (b) case-by-case comparisons to assess associations of grit with the use of care strategies across caregivers over time.ResultsDementia caregivers experienced unrelenting and changing psychosocial and physical challenges. Over time, most women exhibited a sustained commitment to the relationship through the ways in which they protected the identity of the person with dementia, modified their expectations for emotional intimacy, and managed their financial affairs. They persevered as their roles and relationships fluctuated, often finding purpose and relief through employment and leisure pursuits. As care intensified, women who took charge and consciously made decisions in the best interest of the care recipient and themselves minimized stress.Discussion and ImplicationsWhile some caregivers exhibited grit from the outset, all showed enhanced perseverance and commitment to the ways they managed memory-related changes over time. Developing confidence in their ability to manage and provide care helped the caregivers respond to stressors with purpose and sustain their roles and responsibilities. Enhancing grit in long-term dementia caregivers may result in better individual and relational outcomes.

An exploratory study of motives for participation in extreme sports and physical activity

While participation in traditional sports and leisure-time physical activity (PA) is declining globally, participation in extreme sports is increasing. Few studies have examined the motives of participants in extreme sports. Adopting a qualitative design, we explored motives for participation in extreme sports in China. Participants were 14 adults who participated in extreme sports as serious leisure pursuits. We interviewed participants about the reasons they participated in their chosen activity. Each interview lasted between 40 and 60 minutes. We transcribed digital recordings verbatim and conducted an inductive-deductive content analysis. We identified 9 general dimensions (motives); 7 were consistent with participation motives in traditional sports (mastery, enjoyment, psychological condition, physical condition, affiliation, others’ expectations, competition/ego), and 2 were new to extreme sports (vertigo, catharsis). We note limitations of this study, draw conclusions for future research, and propose implications for increasing participation in sport and PA arising from this study.

Analysing the Contributions of Early Travellers in the History of Kerala

“Man’s curiosity for things and enquiry for food and shelter from one place to another gave birth to travel and travel led to tourism.”[i] From time immemorial man’s thirst for journeying is unquenchable, which has resulted in the spread of Human civilisation to all parts of the globe. Travels in the more advanced stages of our civilisation was done with an intent on Exploration, Diplomacy, Commerce, Knowledge etc. With Trade and Commerce being the main motivation behind travel rather than for pleasure in the early ages, the travellers were mostly consisting of Merchants, Pilgrims or Scholars.&#x0D; Conscious travels were undertaken to explore and see the world as it had progressed. And a new phenomenon of travelling in pursuit of leisure came to being and in course of time the concept of tourism got new meaning and acquired importance, as travelling exclusively for pleasure constitutes the main theme of tourism in these days.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; 106-113&#x0D; Reimagining the Growth and Development of Tourism in Travancore with Special Emphasis on Kanya kumari&#x0D; SAFEED R&#x0D; Abstract&#x0D; One of the wealthiest and most developed state in the British India was Travancore, which was situated on the south of the Indian Subcontinent. The princely state was blessed with nature and the geographical features are entirely distinct from other places in India. The modern industry like tourism got spatial attention from the government from the beginning of the twentieth century and it accepted several plans for attracting visitors to its tourist spots. A few tourist destinations, which were in pathetic condition were elevated to high standard and world class facilities were arranged to meet the demands of the travelers. Kanyakumari, the land of rising sun was situated on the south of Travancore got special consideration and government made necessary arrangements for the growth and development of Kanyakumari as a tourist destination.&#x0D; 114-

“You start by changing the whole cultural context”: aikido v. gender violence

ABSTRACTAikido is a martial art that focuses on non-violent approaches to conflict. The current article discusses ways that experienced practitioners of aikido adjust the social environments in which they practice this leisure pastime in order to pre-emptively address gender violence. Their approaches compliment the tactics of bystander intervention and community accountability strategies. This study is based on data obtained through naturalistic observations, participant observations, and interviews (n = 15) with people who had been studying aikido for an average of 12.4 years. Interventions were conducted at the levels of policy, leadership, curriculum, and game structure. The collection of modifications to aikido practitioners’ social environments includes resistance to binary opposition between two sexes, social hierarchies, violence against the self, homophobic talk, and suppression of empathy.

Leisure Experiences and Social Support Systems of Latino Students With DACA Status

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the leisure experiences of undocumented Latino young adults with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status in order to note any potential links between leisure experience and success in reaching higher education. This population faces a unique set of challenges in their transition to adulthood and their pursuit of and access to higher education. Research suggests that 3 common factors among undocumented young adults who have been successful in reaching higher education are extra-familial mentors, positive social supports, and supplementary educational programming. This study used these 3 factors and the principles of contact theory to examine leisure experiences of undocumented young adults with DACA status. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 young adults with DACA status who were enrolled in higher education. The data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Due to the difficulty accessing this population, snowball sampling was used beginning with a volunteer database from a local Hispanic Alliance. The results support previous literature that has identified constraints this population faces when striving for higher education, as well as the capacity of populations that experience disadvantages for leisure constraint negotiation. The findings show leisure and recreational pursuits support the development of the above mentioned 3-factor support system, helpful in reaching higher education, from previous literature and document a severe drop off of both leisure and recreation participation after high school graduation. Limitations of the study and implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Can goal-setting for patients with multimorbidity improve outcomes in primary care? Cluster randomised feasibility trial

IntroductionGoal-setting is recommended for patients with multimorbidity, but there is little evidence to support its use in general practice.ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of goal-setting for patients with multimorbidity, before undertaking...

Sikap Siswa Terhadap IPA berdasarkan Investigasi dan Korelasi: Kesenangan Belajar dan Minat Meluangkan Waktu pada IPA

This study purposed to investigate attitudes towards science in junior high school students,based on 2 attitude indicators: (1) enjoyment in science lesson &amp; (2) leisure interestin science. In addition, measurements were also made regarding the relationship betweenthe two indicators of attitude. This research is survey research. The results of the datacame from an attitude questionnaire consisting of indicators (1) enjoyment in science lessonand (2) leisure interest in science. The sample consisted of 2815 junior high schoolstudents in Jambi Province, Indonesia. The results showed that for indicators: (1) enjoymentin science is good category with a percentage of 48.1%, (2) leisure interest in scienceis fairly good category with a value: 47.2% and This indicator leads to a positivetrend supported by a positive attitude with a greater good value: 38.4%, while for theanalysis of the correlation between the two indicators shows a positive correlation with asig: 0,000 (&lt;0.05) and has a strong degree of correlation indicated by the value "PearsonCorrelation": 0.716. Therefore, it is concluded overall attitudes towards science at Juniorhigh school students in Jambi, Indonesia have a positive attitude and are categorizedwell.

Leisure pursuits: uncovering the ‘selective tradition’ in culture and well-being evidence for policy

ABSTRACTThis article reconsiders the value of leisure studies to well-being evidence for policy-making. It presents secondary analyses of Office for National Statistics data from the Measuring National Well-being (MNW) debate (2010). It finds that leisure is more important to the nation than accounted for in official reports. Using Raymond Williams’ framework of ‘lived culture’ and ‘recorded culture’, the article interprets this analytical discrepancy as demonstrating the culture of ‘selective tradition’.Raymond Williams’ work is used to understand the sidelining of leisure in the MNW programme in two ways. Firstly, the article addresses survey design and analysis. It finds a methodological bias against free text data as evidence, affecting which aspects of cultural and social life appear central to well-being. Secondly, the article takes a discourse approach to cultural sector advocacy, which, in arguing the value of arts-related activity, relegates aspects of ‘culture as ordinary’ by default. These two selective traditions mean that ‘everyday participation’ is not valued in discussions of well-being evidence, advocacy or in the final MNW measures, despite its value to the public. This article prioritises everyday understandings of well-being over those of experts, offering an ethical and practical contribution to leisure studies and policy-making for well-being.

Deconstructing embedded meaning within cyclists’ Instagram discourse: #fromwhereiride

ABSTRACT Social media is now a central communication centre within social worlds bound by particular leisure interests. In the digital age, leisure participants are able to generate and share bespoke, archival content and thus project nuanced messages regarding leisure experiences to their social networks. Adopting an interpretive approach to analyzing multimodal components of cyclists’ Instagram posts tagged with the popular hashtag #fromwhereiride, this study sought to explore meaning embedded within cyclists’ social media discourse. Five overarching themes emerged which suggested through social media, cyclists seek to project nuanced constructions of the self through a range of cultural, embodied, and mobility-related practices. Our analysis shows that social media is a platform through which leisure serves as a late-modern backdrop for social class and gender power struggles. This research contributes original insights regarding the role of social media discourse in leisure whilst providing a foundation for future research.

‘Do horses cause divorces?’ Autoethnographic insights on family, relationships and resource-intensive leisure

ABSTRACT Equestrian leisure is resource-intensive and requires significant investment of time, money, effort and emotion. In this paper we consider these demands within the context of personal and family relationships. Using autoethnographic methods we use our own relationships with horses and with our human partners to explore the issues and tensions than can arise when one person engages in such an intense and demanding leisure pursuit. We argue that support from partners is essential, but may often be underpinned by some resentment towards the horse(s) and the commitment they entail. Framed within the context of gendered family relationships and gendered leisure, we suggest that women’s involvement in resource-hungry leisure, such as equestrianism, is filtered through traditional gender power relations and that constant negotiation and compromise is required to enable women to engage in demanding leisure activities.

Food as a leisure pursuit, a United Kingdom perspective

ABSTRACT As leisure and tourism activities have increased among the public this is reflected in their food interests. In terms of leisure, food has become a focus and motivation. An historical perspective shows how interests in food and leisure have evolved from early twentieth-century conspicuous consumption, to food destinations, and celebrations. The hospitality industry frequently presents food as something contemporary, yet often with references to the past. Extensive media coverage and digital access to information have contributed to the high profile of food as a leisure activity. This is contrasted with early twentieth-century guidebooks which through text encouraged the consumption of food as leisure. Such developments are evident in the growth of food consumed at the destination, and brought home as a gift. Period guidebooks, travel journals, and postcards are utilized to show how food was of interest to consumers in the early twentieth century. These are contrasted with today's technologies which provide instantaneous sources of information about food.

Physical culture and Irish modernity, 1893 to 1918

ABSTRACTExamining the period 1893 to 1918, typically seen as the heyday of physical culture across the Western world, the current submission proposes three lines of enquiry. In the first instance, the paper explores notions of gender through the prism of physical culture as a leisure pursuit. In the second instance, the paper examines physical culture as a tool of modernity within the Irish workplace. Centring on the Guinness and Jacobs Factory physical culture teams and gymnastic classes, the paper seeks to understand the role physical culture played in the respective factory’s efforts to provide some form of leisure for their employees and their families. Finally, the paper examines the military nature of physical culture within Ireland. In examining Irish physical culture from 1893 to 1918, the paper thus examines physical culture as a technology of the self, through which individual and group identities were remade or reinforced through leisure activities.

Water Pipe Smoking Reduction in the Male Adolescent Students: An Educational Intervention Using Multi-Theory Model.

Water pipe smoking (WPS) has increased and is becoming a major leisure pastime among young people in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine of efficacy of an educational intervention based on Multi-Theory Model (MTM) to reduce WPS in the male adolescent students in Iran. A randomized controlled trial. Overall, 94 male adolescent students (grades 10, 11) smoked water pipe (WP) in the past month (current WP smokers) were selected, allocated randomly in two groups (47 students in intervention group and 47 students in control group), in two different schools in 2018 in Hamadan City, western Iran. Data were collected utilizing a valid and reliable questionnaire based on MTM constructs and demographic variables. Educational intervention was designed in five 45-min sessions. Two groups were followed-up three-months after completion of intervention. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software through Chi-square test, independent-sample t-test, paired-samples t-test, and Friedman test. There were significant differences between the mean score of participatory dialogue, behavioral confidence, emotional transformation and practice for change in the intervention group compared with the control group after the intervention (P<0.001). In addition, significant reductions in the frequency of WPS (from 14.9% to 4.3%) were observed in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.001). The developed educational intervention based on MTM constructs was efficacious and can be replicated for effectiveness studies to reduce WPS in the male adolescent students in Iran.

The cycle of food socialization: leisure as resistance

ABSTRACT Historically, the relationship between humans and food is complex. The necessity of food for life has resulted in food being important in structuring life and identity. The increasing stronghold of the agrofood complex (e.g. Big Food) in the production and engineering of food is taking a toll on socio-ecological systems. Using Harro’s (2018a. “The Cycle of Socialisation.” In Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, edited by A. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. Casteneda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, and X. Zuniga, 45–52. New York: Routledge) Cycle of Socialization as a framework, we examine how humans have been socialized to value and depend on engineered foods to the detriment of human and environmental health and propose the Cycle of Food Socialization. Dominant socializing forces of contemporary mass food production, eating habits, and perceptions of food keep us trapped in a cycle of unhealthy behaviours that make food more of an enemy than friend. We further propose that growing interest in locally farmed and naturally produced food as a leisure pursuit is uniquely positioned as a pathway to liberation from this cycle.