Leisure engagement and subjective well-being: A meta-analysis.

2015/01/19 by Lauren Kuykendall, Louis Tay, Vincent Ng · 530 citations
Psychology · #Happiness #Leisure satisfaction #Life satisfaction #Mediation #Meta-analysis #Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports #Multilevel model #Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction #Psychological intervention #Psychology #Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management #Social psychology #Statistics #Structural equation modeling #Subjective well-being

paper · doi:10.1037/a0038508

published in Psychological Bulletin 141(2), 364-403 (American Psychological Association)

openalex publication_date 2015/01/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Numerous studies show a link between leisure engagement and subjective well-being (SWB). Drawing on common experiential features of leisure, psychological need theories, and bottom-up models of SWB, we suggest that leisure engagement influences SWB via leisure satisfaction. We examine the proposed cross-sectional relations and mediation model using random-effects meta-analyses that include all available populations. To provide a stronger test of causal influence, we also examine longitudinal relations between leisure satisfaction and SWB and effects of experimental leisure interventions on SWB using random effects meta-analyses of all available populations. Findings based on 37 effect sizes and 11,834 individuals reveal that leisure engagement and SWB are moderately associated (inverse-variance weighted r = .26) and mediated by leisure satisfaction. Cross-lagged regression analyses of longitudinal studies, controlling for prior SWB, reveal bottom-up effects of leisure satisfaction on SWB (β = .15) and top-down effects of SWB on leisure satisfaction (β = .16). Experimental studies reveal that leisure interventions enhance SWB (d = 1.02). Compared with working samples, retired samples exhibit a stronger relation between leisure engagement and SWB, and between leisure satisfaction and SWB. Measures of the frequency and diversity of leisure engagement are more strongly associated with SWB than measures of time spent in leisure. Overall, although not minimizing top-down influences, results are consistent with bottom-up models of SWB and suggest that the leisure domain is a potentially important target for enhancing SWB.

Citations

• A Survey Method for Characterizing Daily Life Experience: The Day Reconstruction Method
• TRANSFER OF TRAINING: A REVIEW AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
• Association of Enjoyable Leisure Activities With Psychological and Physical Well-Being
• An Exploration of the Activity Theory of Aging: Activity Types and Life Satisfaction Among In-movers to a Retirement Community
• Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies.
• The Measurement of Life Satisfaction
• Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being.

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