Leisure Engagement during COVID-19 and Its Association with Mental Health and Wellbeing in U.S. Adults

Abstract

Leisure engagement has risen as a salient societal issue during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only because it provides a pathway for people to continue meeting their physical, cognitive, and social-emotional needs, but also due to the phenomenal juxtaposition of general increases in leisure time and unparalleled constraints. This study reports the results of the first investigation of U.S. adults’ overall leisure engagement and its association with mental health amidst the major disruptions and sustained stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through an online survey in February 2021 through Prolific from a sample representative of the U.S. adult population in age, gender, and race (n = 503) and analyzed using a mixed-method approach. A total of 104 unique leisure activities in 19 categories and 3 domains were identified through iterative thematic coding. Participants reported general increases in home-based traditional leisure and digital/online activities and decreases in physical and nature-based activities. A multiple regression analysis controlling for socio-demographic and context-specific covariates revealed distinct associations between changes in leisure engagement and different aspects of mental health (perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and mental wellbeing), supporting leisure’s dual role in facilitating stress alleviation and wellbeing enhancement during taxing events, such as COVID-19.

Discussion of Purchasing Virtual Digital Nature and Tourism

“…Digital nature is a promising and stimulating alternative to real nature for people with limited access to green spaces or who are housebound, such as during the global lockdown of COVID-19 [4]. A digital nature video and overall leisure activities of adults in the USA and their relationship to mental health were investigated based on a mixed analytical approach and revealed a positive impact of physical nature engagement on the subjective well-being of the participants [5]. On the other hand, when it comes to physical contact with nature, living far from nature is a significant predictor of loneliness scores, and short-term contact with nature does not significantly improve loneliness [6].…”

“…Measurements were made on the scale developed by Shen et al [5] and Kryshtanovskaya and Lavrov [6], which is based on five items, including virtual activities and connectedness with others (two latent factors). Each factor consisted of The explained variables of the model consist of measures of the purchase intention of smart tourism of the subjects ( [22]).…”

The Work-Home Border Accounting System: A Function of Psychological Detachment

“…In addition, immersion in joint activities with others promotes recovery experiences during the off-job time and heightened positive affective states such as enthusiasm, cheerfulness, and calmness at the start of the subsequent work period (Hahn, Binnewies, & Haun, 2012). Shen et al (2022) categorized leisure into three aspects based on a study that included 214 work-from-home employees: home-based offline activities, screen-based digital/online activities, and physical/outdoor activities. The home-based offline activities include reading and writing, arts and crafts, listening to music, making music, singing, playing an instrument, playing offline games, spending time with family/friends, cooking, and baking.…”

“…Based on a study in Seoul, South Korea, leisure life satisfaction directly and positively influences subjective wellbeing (Yu & Kim, 2021). Participating in leisure relieves stress and boosts wellbeing during the exhausting COVID-19 period based on a study of 503 participants that included 214 work-from-home employees (Shen et al, 2022).…”

The Effects of Individualized Information and Emotional Support Education on Midwifery Students’ Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…However, the pandemic has also been challenging for universities as it has led to the disappearance of the traditional education system [ 15 , 16 ]. The effort to adapt both to the pandemic and to the distance education processes has caused students to experience some mental problems [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Social isolation, physical and social contact restrictions, the fear of illness and the loss of close relatives increased the risk of students developing anxiety and depression [ 20 , 21 ].…”