Leisure Constraints, Leisure Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction, and Self-Rated Health in Six Cities in Taiwan

Abstract

Extensive research shows that individuals in lower socioeconomic statuses experience higher levels of morbidity and mortality than those of higher social status. This disparity remains even after lifestyle changes such as reduced smoking, improved diet, more exercise, and better access to medical care are afforded to those of lower status. According to Fundamental Social Cause Theory (FSCT), access to valued resources, including environmental, social, and psychological factors, mediates the relationship. The purpose of this study is to determine if leisure constraints, leisure satisfaction, and life satisfaction are among the variables that mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and self-rated health in six cities in Taiwan. Results indicated that leisure related variables, including leisure constraints and leisure satisfaction, mediate the relationship between SES and self-rated health. The results suggest the value of FSCT as a framework for examining the relationship of leisure related variables to health.

Keywords:

• Fundamental Social Cause Theory
• leisure constraints
• leisure satisfaction
• life satisfaction
• self-rated health

Notes

Source: The Taiwan Directorate of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (2011).

Available for public use from the first author.

Details of the item analyses are available from the first author.

Because two of the factors returned for the leisure constraints data had only two indicators of 0.70 or above, we included the next highest loading item for each so that all of our latent variables had at least three indicators, as recommended by Kline (2010).