Measuring the similarity among leisure activities based on a perceived stress-reduction benefit

Abstract

The leisure research arena is becoming more theoretically cognizant of, and research-orientated towards the stress-mediation benefits of leisure from a psychological, physiological and cellular-immunity level of analysis (Coleman and Iso-Ahola, 1993; Driver et al., 1991). The need for relaxation has been suggested by Driver and Tocher (1975) as a prime determiner of leisure choice. The notion of leisure as a mode of coping or stress-reducer is also present in theorizing which incorporates an escape dimension in explaining leisure motives (Iso-Ahola, 1990). The present study attempted to expand research on dimensionality of leisure by grouping activities in terms of their perceived capacity to reduce stress, and as such acts as a precursor to more psychophysiological orientations to studying leisure-related health benefits. Subjects consisted of 159 males and 181 females. Perceptions of the stress-reducing usefulness of 83 leisure activities were factor analysed using principal factoring with iteration (PA2) and resulted in three identifiable clusters of activities (Outdoor-active sport; Social; Cultural-hobbies leisure) which were perceived to be equivalent in potential to reduce stress. Evidence was adduced from both-behavioral medicine and the leisure research area in support of the conceptual validity of the currently identified factors. Using discriminant analysis, the obtained dimensionality was then examined for group differences in the ratings given to leisure activities. Females rather than males had high scores on the Cultural-hobbies factor. Males, those with higher levels of education and older respondents perceived activities loading highly on the Outdoor-active sport factor as more useful in reducing stress.