Benefits of leisure activities for health and life satisfaction among Western migrants

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the particular types of leisure activities and physical and mental health and life satisfaction among Western migrants who moved to South Korea. The total of 262 Western migrants participated in this study. The result of this study found that life satisfaction had a significant relationship with outdoor activities, physical activities, and home-centred and social activities. Participation in outdoor activities and physical activities predicts physical health; home-centred and social activity participation was positively associated with good mental health. This study provides evidence that various leisure activities resulted in health and life satisfaction among Western migrants.

KEYWORDS:

• Health
• leisure
• life satisfaction
• migrants

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Junhyoung Kim is an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University.

Jinmoo Heo is an associate professor in the Department of Sport Industry Studies at Yonsei University, and an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University.

Robert Dvorak is a professor in the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration at Central Michigan University.

Jungsu Ryu is a visiting scholar in the Department of Career and Information Studies at the University of Georgia.

Areum Han is a research professor in the Korea University Center for Curriculum and Institute of Studies at Korea University, South Korea.