Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1997

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Recreation and Leisure Studies

Major Professor

Mary Dale Blanton

Committee Members

Pat Beitel, Frank Hendrick

Abstract

As the review of literature suggested, by participating in an exercise program such as rowing, elderly individuals are able to meet more friends, experience fewer bouts of depression, have fewer severe health complications, and consequently experience a better quality life. The primary purpose of this study was to identify how leisure participation affects the perceptions of active versus inactive elderly adults from a biological, psychological, and social perspective. To achieve this purpose, a questionnaire was developed and administered to active and inactive adults over the age of 55. The research involved two populations, including 31 individuals who actively participate in rowing clubs in the Southeastern United States and 35 persons who are members of Knoxville-area churches. A color-coded Survey/Questionnaire was sent to 83 individuals; Seventy-three of those Survey/Questionnaires were then returned to the researcher. Of the 73 that were returned, only 66 qualified for the study. The Senior Survey/Questionnaire was developed specifically for this study. It was developed by the researcher and consisted of 34 questions, which took approximately 5 minutes to complete. The questionnaire was based on a five point Likert scale. Respondents completed the form by circling the numbers of the scale. Statistical treatment of the data included using an analysis of variance utilizing a one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) by group to interpret the data and indicate how the total scores (biological, psychological, and social) were distributed around the mean. The directional hypotheses were:

  1. There is a significant difference in the perceived biological well-being between active and inactive older adults.
  2. There is a significant difference in the perceived psychological well-being between active and inactive older adults.
  3. There is a significant difference in the perceived social well-being between active and inactive older adults.
Initially, the church members were assumed to be inactive. However, this was not necessarily the case; Nor were all the rowers active. One rower claimed to never exercise (to be completely inactive), while 16 of the church members claimed to lead moderate to vigorously active Uves. Within the scope of this study, and based on the purpose and hypotheses proposed, the following conclusions were drawn: There was no significant difference in how leisure participation affected the perceptions of active versus inactive elderly adults from a biological, psychological, and social perspective. There was, however, a significant difference in the perceived social well-being between moderately active and vigorously active older adults. Moderately active older adults rated themselves as being more sociable/having more social contacts than vigorously active persons. Recommendations for further research include conducting a more extensive and comprehensive study to determine the factors associated with leisure and exercise that are most influential and lead to an increased sense of biological, psychological, and social well being among older adults. It is also recommended that further research include participants in different types of athletic organizations such as cycling, running, golf, and/or tennis, instead of only rowing. Further research in this area also could be conducted to determine if persons are more likely to be active if their spouse participates in activities with them.

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