Youngkhill Lee

The Complex and Dynamic Nature of Leisure Experience

Although leisure experience is characterized as being multi-dimensional, transitory and multi-phased, few empirical studies have explored the complexity and dynamics of leisure experiences. The pur...

The Experience of Posttraumatic Growth for People With Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the characteristics of posttraumatic growth for people with spinal cord injury. In this study, we intentionally selected people exhibiting evidence of posttraumatic growth to capture distinctive characteristics of the phenomenon. A thematic analysis was used to examine the narratives of life experiences before and after spinal cord injury. The three most salient themes of posttraumatic growth were identified: experience of meaningful family relationships, experience of meaningful engagement, and appreciation of life. Further investigation into the experience of posttraumatic growth is necessary in the future for a better understanding of the phenomena.

Daily experience of serious leisure, flow and subjective well‐being of older adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate how serious leisure and flow contribute to subjective well‐being (SWB) in the daily lives of older adults. Twenty‐two older adults were recruited from a local aging agency in a midwestern city in the USA. Experience Sampling Method was used to collect data on the daily experiences of the older adults. Hierarchical Linear Modelling was used to predict levels of SWB from experience variables (i.e. serious leisure, flow) and individual difference variables (i.e. gender, retirement). One‐way analyses of variance, random coefficient, and intercepts and slopes‐as‐outcomes models were tested. Serious leisure was positively associated with positive affect (PA), and flow had a significant negative relationship with PA. The results of this study confirm previous findings that SWB is an important consequence of serious leisure in everyday life.

The role of leisure in the experience of posttraumatic growth for people with spinal cord injury

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the role of leisure in the experience of posttraumatic growth (PTG) for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). In-depth interviewing was employed to explore the characteristics of PTG for 15 participants, including two negative cases. The results of thematic analysis revealed that leisure influenced at least four aspects of life experience, directly related to four emergent themes: (a) providing opportunities to find personal strengths and abilities, (b) building companionship and meaningful relationships, (c) making sense of traumatic experience and finding meaning in everyday life, and (d) generating positive emotions. This study found a vital role of meaningful engagement in activities for experiencing PTG. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

Serious Leisure, Health Perception, Dispositional Optimism, and Life Satisfaction Among Senior Games Participants

This study investigated factors that explain the life satisfaction of Senior Games participants. One 193 older adults from the 2005 Michigan State Senior Games and the 2005 New York State Senior Games participated in the study. The results of the study show that one of the indicators of serious leisure (affective attachment) was positively correlated to optimism (.16, p <.05), age (.28, p <.01), and the number of years participated (.28, p <.01). Regression analysis was also used to identify which variables contribute to predicting life satisfaction. It was found that dispositional optimism (β =.308, p <.001) and perceived health (β =.185, p <.05) were significant predictors of life satisfaction.

Flow Experience in the Daily Lives of Older Adults: An Analysis of the Interaction between Flow, Individual Differences, Serious Leisure, Location, and Social Context

Cette étude a examiné comment les loisirs sérieux, les différences individuelles, le contexte social et l’emplacement contribuent aux expériences de flux – un état psychologique intense – dans la vie quotidienne des adultes plus âgés. La Méthode d’échantillonnage a été utilisée avec 19 adultes plus âgés dans une ville du Midwest des États-Unis. L’expérience de flux a été la mesure des résultats, et les données ont été analysées à l’aide de la modélisation linéaire hiérarchique. Les résultats ont indiqué que la localité et le statut de l’emploi ont influencé l’expérience de flux des sujets. En outre, les conclusions ont révélé que la retraite était négativement liée à la rencontre de flux, et qu’il y avait une association significative entre le domicile et l’expérience de flux. Les résultats de cette étude améliorent la compréhension des expériences de flux dans la vie quotidienne des adultes plus âgés.

Exploring the meaning of continuity of recreation activity in the early stages of adjustment for people with spinal cord injury

This study was undertaken to gain insight into how people with spinal cord injury (15 men and 5 women; age range = 17–59, M = 30.2) perceive their return to previously enjoyable activities. An “insiders” perspective (Conrad, 1987) was generated through participant observation and in‐depth interviews, and the data were analyzed with Strausss (1987) constant comparative method. Participants reported actively seeking previous activities and negotiating the meaning of the activities to continue their participation. The subthemes that define the meaning of continuity were (a) seeking continuity as an aspiration of adjustment for future actions, (b) establishing a sense of continuity through approximations to preinjury activities, and (c) accommodating for continuity for the purpose of establishing a sense of continuity. Exploring the nature and importance of continuity in this population suggests a broader discourse and extension to other disruptive life events.

“i don't want to feel like a stranger”: Korean students who play basketball seriously

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of playing basketball among Korean students residing in a small campus town in the U.S. A total of seven Korean students in a midwestern university were interviewed. From the analysis of the interviews, three themes emerged that described the basketball experiences of Korean students: (a) the cost and benefits of playing basketball, (b) the internal factors that facilitated playing basketball, and (c) the external factors that facilitated playing basketball. The findings suggest that the strategies Korean students used to cope with adjustment issues were related to seriously participating in basketball. Participants in this study possessed the qualities of serious leisure (Stebbins, 1992). Their cultural background influenced the formation of leisure participation, and more intimate in‐group relationships were established through their leisure activities.

The Contribution of Leisure Participation and Leisure Satisfaction to Stress-Related Growth

This study examined the contribution of leisure participation and leisure satisfaction on the experience of stress-related growth (SRG). Some types of leisure activity may be beneficial for SRG under certain circumstances. In addition, leisure satisfaction may be positively related to the stress-related growth experience. The participants of this study were 318 undergraduate students at an eastern Canadian university. The results indicated that frequent participation in civic activities and leisure satisfaction were statistically significant predictors of SRG. The findings in this study provided further evidence that positive leisure experiences and specific types of leisure activity not only help people cope with various stresses, but also facilitate growth-related changes.

I am just thankful: the experience of gratitude following traumatic spinal cord injury.

This study explored the experience of gratitude in everyday life following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) by applying thematic analysis to personal experience narratives. Fifteen participants including two negative cases with SCI shared individual experiences of gratitude according to five themes: (a) everyday life, (b) family support, (c) new opportunities, (d) positive sense of self, and (e) gratitude to God. The findings demonstrated that participants benefited from their efforts to appraise challenging life experiences as positive. Therapists could apply intentional and guided gratitude interventions so that individuals would practice and embrace gratitude in adjusting, coping, and adapting positively to various life changes following trauma.