Role Of Leisure Research Articles

Using local authority entrance charges to tackle inequalities in physical activity? A qualitative study of leisure and public health perspectives

Reducing or eliminating entrance charges for the public use of leisure facilities is one potential tool that local authorities (LA) have to reduce inequalities in physical activity (PA). Facility charges are likely to be a greater barrier to access for those who have lower incomes. Semi-structured 1-to-1 and group interviews were conducted with 33 leisure and public health professionals in seven LAs in north-west England. We investigated how approaches to pricing varied in these settings and rationales influencing decision making. Welfare orientated (e.g. affordability) and commercial drivers (e.g. income generation) featured most prominently across areas. Pricing policies placed less direct focus on public health goals, although tackling inactivity was articulated as part of leisure's role more generally. Local targeting of free/concessionary offers was also defined and implemented differently. Decision makers described navigating competing pressures of providing services for the public 'good' yet remaining financially viable. Many LAs are reviewing the extent of subsidy for facilities or are considering whether to invest public health budgets in leisure. The findings offer evidence of how pricing decisions are made and the approaches adopted in practice as well as the conflicting priorities for decision makers within an austerity context.

The role of leisure in meaning-making and engagement with life

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to identify and describe the role of leisure in meaningful engagement with life, informed by leisure and positive psychology literature on these topics. Specifically, the paper identifies the key elements or factors of leisure-induced meaningful engagement with life. In particular, the paper emphasizes the contributions of leisure pursuits to maintaining: (a) a joyful life, (b) a connected life, (c) a discovered life, (d) a composed life, and (e) an empowered life. Not only do these elements seem to represent distinct factors of meaningful engagement with life through leisure, but multiple meanings can be also gained from a single leisure-engagement experience, and these meaning themes can be interconnected. The role of leisure in meaning-making and engagement is important, considering unique distinct characteristics of leisure as freely chosen, self-determined/autonomous, and intrinsically motivated engagement.

Leisure in hospitals and its interface with health: A study about the reality of a Brazilian city

The purpose of this research is to understand the role of leisure in shaping the reality of hospitalized patients in Brazil. The methodology combines both bibliography and field research techniques performed in internment units of three hospitals in the city of Belo Horizonte. The field research consisted of direct observations and semistructured interviews with 30 volunteers, among hospitalized subjects, companions, and health professionals. The data were analyzed qualitatively through iterative analysis. Results show that leisure activities can improve the health status of hospitalized subjects. Its role in the hospital is mainly related to compensatory and utilitarian functions, with contributions to rest, pain, and suffering reduction, expansion of friendship network, creativity, ability of doing critics, of educating sensitivity, through the dissemination of content and cultural practices among the subjects.

“When You See Nature, Nature Give You Something Inside”: The Role of Nature-based Leisure in Fostering Refugee Well-being in Canada

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the impacts of nature-based leisure on the well-being of refugees in Canada. For this interpretive study we used semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation to explore four refugees' experiences of a two-day winter camping experience in northern Alberta and how it might foster their well-being. Participants, from three African countries, and Iran, welcomed an opportunity to be away in a natural setting, to connect with others, to learn new activities, involve their families, and as a distraction from their daily lives. Refugees acknowledged the welcoming efforts of the social services and parks agencies in bolstering their confidence and well-being. Refugees' experiences underscored both the importance of access to nature-based leisure in mitigating stress, and host societies' attitudes toward newcomers in fostering their well-being. Our findings suggest that developing nature-based leisure opportunities for refugees may promote their well-being and sense of belonging.

Subjective quality of leisure & worker well-being: Validating measures & testing theory

For many workers, leisure is a highly valued part of life. Yet, workers' leisure experiences have largely been overlooked in the career development and work-life literatures. This paper addresses the question of when workers' leisure experiences—and compatibility between work and leisure roles—are important for workers' overall subjective well-being (SWB). We draw on Super's life-span, life-space theory of career development to posit that the subjective quality of workers' leisure experiences—and lack of conflict between work and leisure roles—is important for SWB, especially when leisure roles are highly salient relative to other roles. In three studies, we develop and validate scales to measure the subjective quality of leisure (i.e., leisure affect and leisure satisfaction) and test our hypotheses using a heterogeneous sample of working adults. Results provide evidence for the reliability and validity of our new measures and suggest that the subjective quality of workers' leisure experiences influence workers' overall SWB beyond the effects of the subjective quality of job and family experiences—often regardless of levels of relative leisure role salience. However, work-leisure conflict does not appear to substantially influence overall SWB beyond the effects of work-family conflict, even when relative leisure role salience is high. We discuss implications for the career development and work-life literatures.

The role of leisure in integrated community sustainability plans within Canada

ABSTRACTGiven the preoccupation that all levels of government have been giving to sustainability, those advocating for the role of leisure must be able to clearly articulate how leisure intersects with and supports sustainability. Within Canada, federal and provincial governments have encouraged the development of Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSP) at the municipal level to advance sustainability initiatives. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent ICSPs indicate a role for leisure in achieving sustainability. Using a sample of 18 ICSPs, the analysis revealed that leisure plays a strong and integrated role in sustainability planning suggesting that communities view leisure as a valuable contributor to sustainable communities. Leisure emerged as a potential solution to a broad range of social, environmental and economic issues and strategies transcended sectoral boundaries. The findings highlight the importance of collaborative planning and encourage leisure practitioners to actively engage in sustainability initiatives.

Health, integrity, and doping in sports for children and young adults. A resolution of the European Academy of Paediatrics

The European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles for children from birth into young adulthood. Physical exercise and leisure are essential to the development of healthy bodies, strong minds, and social skills. All children, without regard to their physical or mental capacities, should be provided with the time, the leadership, the facilities, and the equipment needed to exercise through sports while enjoying playing, even competing, in an environment appropriate to their capacities and aspirations. During exercise and sports, children should be assured of a safe and an appropriate environment that protects and promotes their human rights. Top sports that engage the best competitive athletes in an age group, in a region, in a country, or in the world should provide role models and even dreams for all children. These top sports, however, are also most usually surrounded by large political, economic, and/or business interests where only the best can compete while at times exacting a too high physical and/or psychological cost for those who have survived the cut, made the grade. Alongside this more and more children are being raised in environments with fewer open spaces as well as inside a media and digital culture making significantly less room for the enjoyment of physical exercise and leisure. Children's diets have also been changed dramatically by a significant intake of calorierich foods, which often have little nutritional value and which even a child's high metabolism rates not able to burn off efficiently. Conclusion With this Resolution, the EAP is calling for a renewed look at the role of sports and leisure in the lives of children and, by implication, at the way we structure, finance, and promote sports in Europe. The EAP is also asking that this Resolution be adopted by all organizers of sports involving children and young adults in Europe (and beyond), be that on the playground, in schools, in clubs, or in professional sporting organizations. The EAP would like that every child, throughout his or her childhood years and into young adulthood, can fully participate in sports in a safe environment where winning is playing and playing is winning.

Newlywed Couple Leisure: Couple Identity Formation Through Leisure Time

ABSTRACTAn interpretative phenomenological study of newlywed couple leisure was conducted to understand the role of leisure in the development of relationship dynamics and couple identity. Nine couples were interviewed twice, using open-ended questions that explored the role of leisure in their relationship development. Data were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological processes. Couples viewed leisure as a crucial part of their relationships, helping them develop their identities as couples through creating shared meaning and opportunities to improve communication and conflict management skills. Findings can be used to encourage couple exploration of positive leisure experiences during courtship and early marriage, including therapeutic interventions and relationship education programs that teach couples to incorporate joint leisure strategically into their relationships.

Leisure and meaning-making: Implications for rehabilitation to engage persons with disabilities

BACKGROUND: Humans strive for meaning-making, which refers to the process by which a person derives meanings from an activity in life and makes sense of one’s life. OBJECTIVE: This paper summarizes the research-based knowledge about the role of leisure in meaning-making, and describes implications of this role for rehabilitation to engage individuals with disabilities. RESULTS: The key themes of meaning-making through leisure include: (1) identity, (2) creativity, (3) connectedness, (4) harmony/balance, (5) stress-coping and healing, (6) growth/transformation, and (7) experiential and existential aspects of leisure. These seven themes seem to converge for the idea that engagement with life is an overarching theme to describe these functions. Specifically, a meaningful engagement with life can be achieved by maintaining several elements including: (a) a joyful life, (b) a composed life, (c) a connected life, (d) a discovered life, and (e) a hopeful and empowered life. Research has shown that leisure can promote all of these elements of meaningful engagement with life. CONCLUSIONS: Any leisure activity that has an element of engagement in a broad sense (e.g., with self, others, and nature/world) can facilitate meaning-making, while meaning-focused leisure practice emphasizes the value of people proactively leading the process rather than people being told what to do in a prescriptive way.

Engagement of ‘At-Risk’ Youth Through Meaningful Leisure

Many young people today experience marginalization and exclusion. In particular, youth living with challenging conditions such as poverty, homelessness, abusive/addictive behaviors, and mental health issues, often have limited access to opportunities and resources. This paper focuses on the role of leisure as a meaningful way of youth engagement. Specifically, the paper explores how youth-led leisure opportunities can help young people caught in the dynamics of exclusion and marginalization, which often magnify inequities and hinder positive developmental outcomes. Through both a critical review of the literature and a reflection on the gaps identified within the examined literature, a conceptual model of mechanisms involving leisure and youth engagement is presented for potential use in future research and practice. Described as circular relationships in the model, youth-led meaningful engagement through leisure is proposed to promote positive relationship-building, co-learning, power-sharing, and empowerment. In turn, positive interpersonal relationships are proposed to support meaningful leisure within a safe, open, and non-judgmental space to co-learn. Furthermore, meaningful leisure is proposed to provide an avenue to reinforce positive relationships and learn/discover about self, others, and the world. Importantly, what youth do with leisure, rather than what leisure does to youth, should be emphasized to promote constructive youth-led engagement through meaningful leisure. The former concept (i.e., what youth do with leisure) is more youth-driven than the latter concept (i.e., what leisure does to youth), which is more prescriptive in nature. Overall, this paper suggests that simply because we develop leisure programs for “at-risk/high-risk” young people, the use of a top-down, prescriptive approach can be detrimental to them. Rather than adults always leading engagement activities, it would be more desirable to share with and be guided by youth concerning the leadership and mentoring of engagement activities including both leisure and non-leisure pursuits in youth’s lives. Because of leisure’s unique characteristic of being intrinsically chosen and defined, leisure is a very important tool in a bottom-up, youth-led/guided approach to meaningful engagement of “at-risk/high-risk” youth. Through sharing experiences with youth and learning alongside of them, leisure can provide an avenue for youth to connect positively with their peers and communities, and to promote constructive meaning-making in their lives. These insights have important implications for reframing leisure programs within social services, and improving leisure policy and practice to make these more youth-oriented. Through enacting these youth-oriented changes, programs can better support and inspire youth’s passions for the pursuit of meaningful, fulfilling lives. Subscribe to JPRA

노년의 삶에 의미를 부여하는 여가역할에 관한 질적 연구

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of leisure in meaning-making among 8 community-dwelling older people who played badminton for a long period. The study analyzed the role of leisure in meaning-making which can promote healing and personal development, especially for persons with life difficulties and personal limitations. The exploratory nature of this study involved a variety of interests through their voices and lived experiences. Their perspectives helped to identify in the way and the method in which leisure pursuits can contribute to making one’s life more meaningful among older people. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted. Analysis of the interviews identified several key themes of meaning-making from leisure that include the role of leisure in promoting: (i) an enjoyable life, (ii) a stabilized life, (iii) a connected life, and (iv) an empowered life. Overall, this study provided evidence for the role of leisure in meaning-making in later life. These findings along with implications for practitioners and future research are provided.

Immigrants' Adaptation and Interracial/Interethnic Interactions in Natural Environments

ABSTRACTThis study examined the role of leisure in natural environments in immigrants' adaptation, with a particular emphasis on facilitating interracial/interethnic interactions. Berry's adaptation framework was used as a theoretical framework. The project used in-depth individual interviews with 70 immigrants from China, Latin America, Morocco, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam residing in the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland. The findings showed that recreation in natural environments promoted immigrants' psychological adaptation by helping to improve psychological and emotional well-being, develop feelings of attachment, strengthen social ties, and build memories and family traditions. The sociocultural adaptation was increased when immigrants learned about the culture of the host countries. The natural environments were not particularly conducive to establishing interactions with strangers but were convenient settings for interacting with families and members of the ethnic community.

Parenthood and Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Leisure and Paid Work.

This study contributes to our knowledge on the association between parenthood and psychological well-being by examining whether pre-parenthood lifestyles (leisure and paid work) moderate the transition to parenthood. We expected that people with less active lifestyles would find it easier to adapt to the demands of parenthood. Using eleven waves of the Swiss Household Panel (N = 1332 men and 1272 women; 1999–2008, 2010), fixed effects models are estimated for men and women separately. Results show that—on average—parenthood was not associated with well-being for men, whereas it increased well-being for women. As expected, the well-being premium/cost to parenthood was contingent upon individuals’ lifestyle before the transition to parenthood. For men, parenthood reduced well-being, but only if they frequently participated in leisure before the birth of the child. For women, motherhood had a beneficial effect on well-being but this effect was weaker for women who combined leisure with working long hours before motherhood.

여가, 스트레스, 대처 및 적응의 관계에 관한 질적 연구

This study explored the relationships among visually impaired related stressors, coping strategies and adjustment, as well as leisure using case studies of visually impaired people who are running as a coping resource strategy. Given the exploratory nature of this study, qualitative analysis was employed as a guiding methodology. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted. The analysis of the interviews identified two themes: visually impaired related stressors and coping/adjustment strategies for eight people who are visually impaired. Running played a distinct role in their stress coping strategy and the adjustment process, providing (i) a positive distraction, (ii) an opportunity to stay optimistic, (iii) a source of return to normalcy, and (iv) a context for positive inner growth. Overall, this study provided evidence for the role of leisure as a key function of stress coping and adjustment to negative life events. These findings along with implications for practitioners and future research are provided.

Connections between media technology and leisure: insights from Aristotle and Heidegger

ABSTRACTPhilosophical inquiry that delves into the intriguing connections between media technology and leisure may assist us in understanding how we might consider the goodness (leading to happiness) of using media technology for leisure. Specifically, philosophical discourses of Aristotle and Heidegger can be used to help identify and clarify the roles of media technology and leisure. Therefore, in this paper, we provide a philosophical examination of connections between media technology and leisure by exploring perspectives and linkages of writings by Aristotle [2004. The Nicomachean ethics. Translated and edited by J. A. K. Thompson. New York: Penguin Group] and Heidegger [1977. The Question Concerning Technology. Translated and edited by W. Lovitt. New York: Harper & Row]. We use the writings of these philosophers to organize and describe recent research focusing on media technology and leisure experiences. The relationship between media technology and leisure is complex and multifaceted and it seems that this relationship is reciprocal, in that media technology influences leisure expression and, simultaneously, leisure experiences shape the use of media technology.

Contributions of leisure to “meaning-making” and its implications for leisure studies and services

ABSTRACTThis conceptual paper summarizes the current research-based knowledge about the role of leisure in meaning-making. The key themes of leisure-induced meaning-making include: (1) identity (personal and collective), (2) creativity (e.g. self-expression through creative leisure), (3) connectedness (socially, spiritually, and culturally; e.g. connections with people, religion, nature, and culture), (4) harmony/balance, (5) stress-coping and healing, (6) growth/transformation (e.g. resilience, empowerment), and (7) experiential and existential aspects of leisure (e.g. “flow” activities). Human’s inspiration for an engaged life is seen as an overarching theme to broadly capture these functions. Specifically, a meaningful engagement with one’s life seems to be achieved by maintaining: (1) a joyful life, (2) a composed life (e.g. making one’s life more focused, collected, and/or in control), (3) a connected life (e.g. socially, spiritually, culturally), (4) a discovered life (e.g. self-identity, self-discovery), and (5) a hopeful and empowered life (e.g. showing a sense of strength). Importantly, research has shown that leisure can promote all of those elements of a meaningful engagement with life, suggesting that there seem to be connections among leisure, meaning-making, and engagement. Accordingly, the paper describes implications of using a meaning-focused leisure practice from an applied perspective.

Trajectories of adolescent substance use development and the influence of healthy leisure: A growth mixture modeling approach

Considerable heterogeneity exists in adolescent substance use development. To most effectively prevent use, distinct trajectories of use must be identified as well as differential associations with predictors of use, such as leisure experience. The current study used a person-centered approach to identify distinct substance use trajectories and how leisure is associated with trajectory classes. Data came from a larger efficacy trial of 2.249 South African high school students who reported substance use at any time across 8 waves. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify developmental trajectories of substance use and the influence of healthy leisure. Results identified three increasing and one stable substance use trajectory and subjective healthy leisure served to protect against use. This study is the first of its kind to focus on a sample of South African adolescents and serves to develop a richer understanding of substance use development and the role of healthy leisure.

Going beyond work and family: A longitudinal study on the role of leisure in the work-life interplay.

SummaryGoing beyond the relation of work and family, the present three‐wave longitudinal study spanning one year assessed different forms of conflict and facilitation between leisure and the life domains work and family and their relation to subjective well‐being. A sample of N = 277 employed men and women reported their perceived conflict and facilitation between leisure, work, and family and subjective well‐being. Results suggest that leisure is a source of facilitation for work and family, and, at the same time, a major recipient of conflict from work and family. Moreover, leisure conflict was negatively correlated and leisure facilitation was positively associated with concurrent subjective well‐being. Both conflict and facilitation between all three life domains remained highly stable over the course of one year. Only few and non‐systematic lagged effects were found, indicating that the variance of the stability of the constructs and their relations over time leave little room for longitudinal predictions. Taken together, the study demonstrates that, similar to work–family relations, conflict and facilitation with the leisure domain are also associated with subjective well‐being and remain highly stable over the course of a year in the lives of young and middle‐aged adults. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

달리기, 영적 웰빙과 전인 건강의 관계에 관한 질적 연구

The purpose of this study was to explore the interplay among leisure, spirituality well-being, and holistic health on 10 runners helping the blind to run. This study set out to explore the interplay among leisure, spirituality well-being, and holistic health using a qualitative research. In-depth interviews with 10 participants revealed an amount of spiritual well-being associated with running, which in turn contributed positively to their holistic health. The findings of spiritual well-being were divided into five common themes which were making meaning, making value, emotional connecting, transcendence experience, and deeper awareness. The findings help explain the roles of leisure in the development spiritual well-being and maintenance of holistic health, which Heintzman and Mannell(2003) argued warrant attention. Theses findings along with implications for practitioners and future research are provided.

Educating the Multicultural Gaze through Leisure

In conversations about education, multiculturalism is commonly understood as a celebration of cultures and of people the world over. To this end, many educators and pre-service teachers believe that the need for multicultural education is satisfied through epistemic practices and acknowledgment of certain holidays and cultural practices in their classrooms. While this understanding is not incorrect, it is only one of the many questions to which multiculturalism may respond. Moreover, this understanding falls short of a more fundamental need to rethink the ethical implications that are at stake whenever we educate with a multicultural view. This paper focuses on the need to guide educators into forming robust ethical ideas in education that invites them to think about their duties and responsibilities to the world in general and to individual students in particular. I will argue that teacher education programs must allow for future educators to seriously consider the current needs of our times and how education can shift from mere implementation of requirements to purposeful and meaningful transformative practices. This end can be achieved, I will argue, through an understanding of the role of leisure in education