scholarly journals Effects of Leisure Participation on Life Satisfaction in Older Korean Adults: A Panel Analysis

Author(s):  
Hyejin Yoon ◽  
Won Seok Lee ◽  
Kyoung-Bae Kim ◽  
Joonho Moon

South Koreans’ life expectancy has dramatically increased over the last four decades. However, the life satisfaction index of older Korean adults has been in the bottom third globally. The large majority of older Koreans spend most of the day watching television at home. However, concrete evidence regarding the effects of leisure involvement on older adults’ quality of later life is scant. Only a few existing studies have examined the link via cross-sectional survey data. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether meaningful leisure participation outside the home in older age plays an essential role in improving life satisfaction. To achieve the research aim, nationally representative panel data from the Korea Employment Information Service were used for the data analysis. The results indicated that social and productive leisure participation in religious activity, social gatherings, and volunteering was significantly related to quality of life in older adults. Moreover, frequent participation in travel and cultural activities outside the home were positively related to life satisfaction. These findings suggest that participation in meaningful leisure activities is a critical factor contributing to subjective well-being and good mental health in older Korean adults and should be encouraged.

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu-ming To ◽  
Wai-leung Sung

In this study, we aimed to examine whether and how presence of meaning and sources of meaning interact and contribute to the subjective well-being of emerging adults. Results from a cross-sectional survey of 251 Chinese community college students in Hong Kong revealed that presence of meaning was positively associated with life satisfaction and positive affect. The findings also showed that ascriptions to self-preoccupating and individualistic sources of meaning were associated with positive affect, while ascriptions to individualistic and self-transcendent sources of meaning were associated with life satisfaction. Furthermore, ascription to the individualistic source of meaning amplified the strength of a positive relationship between presence of meaning and life satisfaction. These findings can provide a knowledge base for initiating further research on how different components of meaning in life cooperate to affect emerging adults’ subjective well-being.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 5651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenghua Guan ◽  
Yingjie Qiu ◽  
Ruopeng An

Life satisfaction is a key component of people’s subjective well-being. This study assessed the relationship between relative income and life satisfaction among Chinese adults, using data from a cross-sectional survey. Individual-level data (N = 1369) came from the 2016 China Genuine Progress indicator Survey (CGPiS) conducted in Beijing and Chengdu, China. Ordered logistic regressions were performed to examine the relationship between relative income and life satisfaction among CGPiS adult respondents. Respondents’ life satisfaction was positively associated with relative income in comparison to their relatives and friends but not associated with relative income in comparison to their residing community and city. Subgroup analyses replicated the findings among male respondents and respondents with good or excellent self-rated health. In contrast, female respondents’ life satisfaction was positively associated with relative income in comparison to their city of residence, but not associated with relative income in comparison to their relatives, friends, and residing community. Life satisfaction among those with poor or fair self-rated health was not associated with any of the four dimensions of relative income. Relative income in comparison to relatives and friends was positively associated with life satisfaction in Chinese adults. Future studies adopting a longitudinal or experimental design are warranted to replicate the findings.


Author(s):  
Baowen Xue ◽  
Penny Tinkler ◽  
Anne McMunn

Abstract Objectives To investigate whether the timing and nature of women’s transitions out of full-time (FT) education are related to later-life subjective well-being and the life-course experiences that might explain any associations seen. Methods Data are from women in Wave 3 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing who have participated in the life history interview and were aged 50+ at the interview (n = 3,889). Using multichannel sequence analysis, we identified 6 types of transition out of FT education (ages 14–26). Regression models were used to examine associations between transition types and life satisfaction, quality of life, and depressive symptoms at age 50+. Results Women who made early transitions to married parenthood and FT domestic labor had lower levels of well-being on all 3 later-life well-being outcomes (p < .01), compared to women who made later transitions to family life and remained employed. Women who remained single up to age 26 also had lower life satisfaction (p < .05) and quality of life (p < .01) in later life than their counterparts who married and had children. These associations were explained by the life-course socioeconomic and relationship pathways. Advantaged childhood socioeconomic circumstances and higher educational qualifications set “Later Marriage and Later employment” women apart onto advantaged trajectories and a better quality of life later (p < .01). Discussion The timing and nature of exits from FT education played a pivotal role in setting people onto life-course trajectories that influence well-being in later life for this older generation of women.


2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 718-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Yamashita ◽  
Anthony R Bardo ◽  
Darren Liu

Abstract Background and Objectives The encore years, or later life stages when adults enjoy health and free time, are the prime opportunity for leisure to maximize the overall quality of life. Physically active leisure is widely known to be linked to overall subjective well-being (SWB). However, experienced SWB or momentary emotion during active leisure as well as passive leisure has yet to be examined. Research Design and Methods Data were derived from the 2012/2013 American Time Use Survey Well-being modules. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to identify comparable matched samples of older adults. Results The PSM identified 211 older adults who reported a series of emotions (i.e., happy, meaningful, tired, sad, stressed, pain) during active leisure, and the comparable counterpart (n = 211) during passive leisure. Results from the Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests showed that active leisure was associated with greater levels of experienced happiness and meaningfulness, as well as with lower levels of sadness (p < .05). Discussion and Implications Physically active leisure is linked to greater levels of experienced SWB among older adults. Although more detailed roles of active and passive leisure for experienced SWB are yet to be verified, choices that older adults make in their free time may significantly impact their experienced SWB and, in turn, their overall quality of life. Aging and public health policies should enhance accessibility to active leisure to promote older adults’ SWB.


Author(s):  
Maria-Fernanda Reyes ◽  
Encarnación Satorres ◽  
Iraida Delhom ◽  
Alexandra Bueno-Pacheco ◽  
Juan C. Meléndez

Background. Effective coping strategies facilitate older adults’ optimal adaptation and contribute to their well-being. Problem-focused strategies are associated with active styles and enhance well-being. This study analyzes the role of coping strategies in Colombian older adults’ subjective well-being (SWB) using structural equation modelling. Additionally, Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the Life Satisfaction Scale and Coping Strategies Questionnaires are performed. Method. A cross-sectional study is conducted with 455 Colombian older adults, ranging from 65 to 92 years old. Results. The results show that problem-focused coping has a positive effect on SWB, whereas emotion-focused coping has a negative effect on SWB. Conclusions. This article highlights the relationship between effective coping and life satisfaction by showing that problem-focused coping strategies are adaptative and enhance well-being during aging.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 733-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilwar Hussain

One of the ongoing debates in social indicator and subjective well-being research is concerned with the weak relationship between objective (such as income) and subjective indicators of well-being (such as life satisfaction). Empirical studies show that the relationship between subjective and the traditional objective well-being indicators is weak. This relationship is found to be very complex and far from clear. The present study tries to shed lights behind the complexity of the relationship between income and subjective well-being (SWB) by bringing into the analysis some alternative factors such as heterogeneity in the human perception and purpose of life (conceptual referent theory) and personality traits. Conceptual referent theory of happiness proposes that people differ in their conceptual referent for a happy life and this referent plays a significant role in their judgment about happiness and life satisfaction. Results of this cross-sectional survey based on 500 individuals residing in rural and urban areas indicate that the relationship between income and life satisfaction is not very strong. Furthermore, the relationship between income and life satisfaction is contingent on a person’s conceptual referent for happiness. This study suggests that income seems to have a significant influence on life satisfaction for some people (especially with outer oriented referents) and insignificant influence for other people (especially holding inner oriented referents). Additionally, neuroticism personality trait was able to further explain the relationship between income and life satisfaction. It was observed that the individuals with higher level of neuroticism tend to get a lower level of satisfaction from income rise as compared to individuals with lower level of neuroticism.


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402110299
Author(s):  
Siow Li Lai ◽  
Nai Peng Tey

This study examines the well-being of older Malaysians, using Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, and Pleasure (CASP-19) score. Data for this study came from a cross-sectional survey on older adults living in a multiethnic metropolitan in Malaysia. The sample comprised Asia’s three major ethnic groups. Bivariate and multivariate analyses show significant ethnic differentials in quality of life (QoL). Results from multiple regression show that CASP-19 is strongly influenced by self-rated health and the ability to manage expenditure, and to a lesser extent by educational level and marital status, but not by age, gender, work status, co-residence with children, and housing tenure. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, self-rated health was the only significant factor affecting the QoL of all ethnic groups. Ability to manage expenditure was also significant among the Chinese and Indians. Marital status matters for the Chinese, while education and housing tenure matter for the Indians. Differences in the effects of the various factors on the QoL of older adults require specific strategies and programs for different target groups.


GeroPsych ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Kaliterna Lipovčan ◽  
Tihana Brkljačić ◽  
Zvjezdana Prizmić Larsen ◽  
Andreja Brajša-Žganec ◽  
Renata Franc

Abstract. Research shows that engagement in leisure activities promotes well-being among older adults. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between subjective well-being (flourishing) and leisure activities (total number of different activities in the previous year) in a sample of older adults in Croatia, thereby considering the variables of sex, marital status, financial status, and self-perceived health. The differences in the examined variables between the groups of older adults who reported to be engaged in new activities with those who did not were also examined. The sample of N = 169 older adults aged 60 years and above was drawn from a convenience sample of adult internet users in Croatia. Participants reported their self-perceived health and the number of leisure activities they engaged in over the previous year as well as completing the Flourishing Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that older adults who were engaged in more various leisure activities, who perceived better financial status, and who were married reported higher levels of flourishing. A comparison of the two groups of older adults with and without engagement in leisure activities showed that those engaged in at least one leisure activity were more likely to be women, reported higher levels of flourishing, and perceived their own financial status as better. This study indicated that engaging in leisure activities in later life might provide beneficial effects for the well-being of older adults.


Author(s):  
Emily Brindal ◽  
Jillian C Ryan ◽  
Naomi Kakoschke ◽  
Sinead Golley ◽  
Ian T Zajac ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, social distancing practices were introduced to curb infection rates in many countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of these restrictions on behaviours and well-being and whether individual differences predict changes in well-being. Methods Australian adults participated in a cross-sectional, online survey during May 2020. The survey captured demographic information; health behaviours; personality traits; life satisfaction and COVID-19-related attitudes, financial concerns, perceived risks and impacts. Results In total, 3745 (86.8% of 4313) participants completed all items. Participants were mostly female (85.7%) and 56.4 years (standard deviation [SD] = 12.6) on average. Over 95.0% of the sample indicated they had been social distancing or isolating. Health behaviours and well-being had generally worsened, with social connections being the most negatively affected. Life satisfaction was significantly lower since restrictions. For changes in life satisfaction, extroversion was a risk factor and openness to experience was a protective factor. Conclusions Overall, well-being was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing particularly in this sample containing mainly older women. In future, it will be crucial to understand why and who may be differentially affected, to encourage behaviours that are protective of well-being.


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