Leisure activity and well-being among the elderly in Taiwan: Testing hypotheses in an Asian setting

Abstract

Studies conducted in Western nations suggest hypotheses regarding the relationship between leisure activity and well-being among older adults. For instance, leisure activity is found to increase feelings of emotional well-being, and there are gender differences in both the types of activities in which elders tend to engage and their subsequent influences. This study attempts to verify these relationships among a sample of 4,049 Taiwanese elders (age 60+). Analyses show that men participate in most leisure activities with greater frequency than women; physical activity has the strongest positive influence on emotional well-being; contemplative activity, the only pursuit in which women out-participate men, displays a negative effect for women, and; the impact of different activity types vary by gender. These results both substantiate and refute hypotheses developed in the West, suggesting cultural variation in the impact of activity. Gender differences are explained in the context of role expectations and self-concept development. jg]Key words gw]Life satisfaction gw]Well-being gw]Activity participation gw]Leisure activity gw]Taiwan gw]Elderly