Taekwondo Participation as Serious Leisure for Life Satisfaction and Health

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigated how different levels of serious leisure qualities are associated with life satisfaction and perceived health. Cluster analysis was used to identify patterns of serious leisure qualities (e.g., perseverance, significant effort, career development, identification, and unique ethos) in a sample of Taekwondo participants (N = 168). The Serious Sages expressed many serious leisure qualities and reported having higher levels of life satisfaction and perceived health when compared to the Novices and Journeymen. The study identified that individuals pursing Taekwondo as a serious recreation activity demonstrated high life satisfaction and perceived health. This study suggests that serious leisure offers rich opportunities for developing personal satisfaction and promoting health. Therefore, serious leisure involvement is related to life satisfaction and health.KEYWORDS: Taekwondoserious leisurelife satisfactionhealth perception