Role of leisure-generated meanings in adaptation to acculturation stress of Korean immigrants in Canada

Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that leisure-generated meanings would buffer acculturation stress on the psychological and sociocultural adaptation of Korean immigrants (n = 120) in a western Canadian city. Analyses of survey data show that acculturation stress is significantly associated with lower life satisfaction and self-esteem, poorer mental health, and sociocultural adaptation. The study only supports the main effects of leisure-generated meanings on life satisfaction and self-esteem (as indicators of psychological adaptation), but not the leisure buffer model. All of the leisure adaptation meanings (i.e., leisure companionship, leisure mood enhancement, leisure palliative coping, leisure rejuvenation, and leisure adjustment) and most of the global leisure meanings (i.e., group harmony, leisure friendship, self-development, and ethnic identity) predict higher life satisfaction and self-esteem. The findings suggest that meaningmaking through leisure appears to be culturally contextualized and seems to be a significant predictor of effective psychological adaptation to acculturation stress. Implications and recommendations are discussed.

Picturing Recreation: Newcomers’ Perspectives on Experiences of Recreation

“…It is also common to focus on leisure as experiences characterized by the subjective sense of freedom, involvement, or intrinsic values such as enjoyment or meaning (Mannell & Kleiber, 1997 ; Neulinger, 1981 ). It is debated to what extent these Western conceptualizations reflect meanings and definitions of leisure within diverse cultural contexts of perspectives (Kim & Iwasaki, 2016 ). Thus, it is important to explore subjective experiences and meanings of leisure to guard against imposition of culturally-bound definitions.…”

“…Hurly ( 2019 ) also proposed that leisure can have “ameliorative effects” (p. 3) on newcomers’ lives, particularly due to its potential to reduce stress related to migration (Höglhammer et al, 2015 ). Indeed, experiencing personal, social, or cultural connectedness through leisure can help newcomers overcome acculturative stress or immigration-related challenges which can, in turn, promote health and well-being (Kim & Iwasaki, 2016 ).…”

“…Acevedo and Stodolska’s ( 2019 ) study shows that engagement in leisure activities through student or campus club involvement facilitated positive integration experiences for Latino university students in the U.S.A. On a similar note, Rich et al ( 2015 ) proposed that engagement in recreational sport or physical activity can foster acculturation and social inclusion for newcomers. Thus, leisure may aid newcomers in retaining their cultural heritage or practices within a dominant culture (Kim & Iwasaki, 2016 ). At the same time, leisure can serve as a bridge between newcomers’ culture and their host society’s culture (Kim et al, 2016a , 2016b ), reinforcing leisure’s role in newcomers’ experiences of acculturation and adaptation during transition.…”

“…Stodolska ( 2000 ) and Hurly ( 2019 ) similarly found that learning new things and engaging in new pastimes were common experiences amongst newcomers. Kleiber et al ( 2002 ) describe the potential of leisure as a means of personal transformation following life events that are characterized by disruption, stress, and adaptation; these are characteristics that could also describe transitions such as immigration (Kim & Iwasaki, 2016 ; Stack & Iwasaki, 2009 ). These activities often lead to increased receptiveness to, and appreciation of, new experiences, and might explain some participants’ openness to novel forms of leisure in our current study.…”

Imbalances in the Study of the Relationship between Leisure and Self-Esteem: A Systematic Review

“…However, some research has revealed distinctions in this relationship that invite a review of this field of study. For example, it has been found that an increase in self-esteem is associated with the practice of leisure activities that are significant for the person or activities where social support from others is perceived [8][9][10][11], while the practice of sedentary activities or activities whose difficulty causes stress is associated with a loss of self-esteem [12][13][14]. Furthermore, self-esteem is seen to be nourished by both leisure and non-leisure, to the point that work is more important than leisure for some people [15,16].…”