There has been a significant amount of research that has indicated divergent patterns of leisure participation among African Americans and European Americans; however, there has been a paucity of research that addresses the leisure patterns of interracial couples and families. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the leisure patterns of interracial couples and families, specifically African American and European American couples. A qualitative design was employed to gather in-depth interview data from six couples. The findings indicated that the interracial couples felt socially isolated in various aspects of daily life, including work, family, and leisure. The primary cause of their social isolation was due to race and racism. The couples experienced low levels of comfort when participating in leisure within public spaces. There was not a distinct pattern of leisure activity among the couples; however, there was a distinct process the couples went through in selecting activities prior to participation in order to avoid negative social reactions.

Recreation professionals continually strive to serve a host of diverse program constituents, while leisure researchers attempt to uncover barriers to leisure participation. Much of the barriers or constraints research has come from the perspective of program participants. This study identified, from the perspectives and experiences of 18 recreation professionals, the issues and barriers that they perceive inhibit recreation program access and availability to diverse constituents, particularly ethnic minority populations. Co-cultural theory, which integrates the concepts of muted group theory and standpoint theory, was utilized as the study's theoretical framework. In-depth interviews were utilized. Five primary barriers were identified that related to the changing faces of the community, the changing faces of management and staff, deferred program responsibility, language barriers, and negative attitudes and stereotypes held by some management and staff. This article demonstrates how these barriers impact leisure participation for disenfranchised groups. The findings suggest that recreation agencies, often unwittingly or unknowingly, foster organizational barriers that inhibit the perceived program accessibility or attractiveness to ethnic minorities. Implications for research and professional practice are explored.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract