The effect of leisure coping on depressive symptoms among individuals with depression: examination of potential confounding effects of physical activity and extraversion

ABSTRACT

Clinically significant depression has been consistently identified as a phenomenon directly linked to stress and stress coping. Leisure behavior as purposeful coping strategy (i.e. leisure coping) has been advanced as a potential approach to address depression; however, the leisure coping effect on depressive symptoms has not examined with two potential confounders: physical activity and extraversion. Physical activity’s anti-depressant effect is widely known, and there is also a link between extraversion and lower depressive symptoms. The current study examined whether leisure coping has a significant effect on depressive symptoms among individuals with depression when physical activity and extraversion were taken into account. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with respondents recruited from depression support group meetings, an online depression research portal, a state-wide research registry, and an outpatient psychiatric service provider. The analyses included a total of 152 adults (61.8% female) with self-reported depression who were age 18–75. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to identify the strengths of association between leisure coping and depressive symptoms after accounting for covariates (demographics and perceived stress) and potential confounders (physical activity and extraversion). After a statistical control for physical activity and extraversion, leisure coping was significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms (β = −.300, p < .01). Physical activity was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms in the model with leisure coping, but it became non-significant in the model with extraversion. The results suggested that leisure coping contributes to lower depressive symptoms independent from physical activity and extraversion. Introverts may be disadvantaged to take advantage of physical activity, but leisure coping might be one strategy to influence depressive symptoms. Further investigations should seek to verify this relationship as well as explore leisure coping as an intervention for depression.

KEYWORDS:

• depression
• leisure coping
• physical activity
• extraversion

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Peggy Thoits, who kindly and passionately provided thoughtful comments for our manuscript, and Dr. Valerie Markley, who assisted us access to the participants and also assisted with proof-reading the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Indiana University Bloomington [Grant-in-Aid of Doctoral Research, Leisure Research Institute Faculty and Student Small Grant Research Programs, School of Public Health Student Research Grant].