Role of Leisure in Meaning-Making for Community-Dwelling Adults with Mental Illness

Abstract

This qualitative study intensively examined the role of leisure in meaning-making with 33 community-dwelling adults (18 females, 15 males; aged 24 to 78) from diverse cultural backgrounds (10 African Americans, 10 Caucasians, 9 Latinos, and 4 Asian Americans) with mental illness. Analyses of the interview data identified several key themes of meaning-making through leisure including the role of leisure in promoting (a) a joyful life, (b) a composed life, (c) a connected life (e.g., socially, spiritually), (d) a discovered life, and (e) a hopeful and empowered life. Supported and contextualized by these specific themes, an overarching leisure meaning-making theme, which emerged from this study, is inspiration for an engaged life. The findings based on the participants' voices/insights suggest that leisure gives strength, peace of mind, inspiration, and more depth and color to one's life and makes it more well rounded in the journey to recovery.