Reexamining the Relationship Between Leisure and Stress Among Older Adults

Abstract

AbstractThis study examined whether leisure self-determination and leisure social support were related to acute stress and chronic stress among older adults. Participants were 141 older nursing home residents with high stress levels and 322 older community dwellers with low stress levels. Data were collected using face-to-face surveys, which included measures of leisure self-determination, leisure social support, and acute stress. Chronic stress was measured using an electrocardiogram. Data were analyzed using regression analysis. The results indicated that leisure self-determination and leisure social support were negatively correlated with acute stress among nursing home and community participants. However, leisure self-determination and leisure social support were not correlated with chronic stress in these two groups of older adults. Implications of the results are discussed.Keywords: leisure self-determinationleisure social supportacute stresschronic stress