Serious Leisure and Passion in University Programs for Seniors.

Perseverance and persistence, effort, leisure career, permanent acquisitions, specific norms, and identification with the occupation are some of the hallmarks of the serious leisure perspective. The Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) understands passion as a strong inclination towards an activity that a person loves, considers important, and in which they invest a great amount of time and energy. This article proposes to explore these two theoretical constructs that converge in their conceptual bases, in a group of older people who regularly participate in university training programs throughout life. The sample is made up of 157 persons over 60 years old enrolled in courses for the elderly at the University of Deusto (Bilbao, Spain). The quantitative findings revealed: (1) that there are no significant differences according to sociodemographic variables, (2) that learning throughout life in the case of older people can be converted into serious leisure, and (3) that the participants in training programs for seniors develop a harmonious passion for such activity.

Self-Managed Leisure, Satisfaction, and Benefits Perceived by Disabled Youth in Northern Spain.

Positive leisure is widely accepted as contributing to the development of self-autonomy and well-being of young people during their transition to adulthood (Glendenning et al., 2003; Coleman, 2011). However, there has been little research on these issues among young people with disabilities. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between self-managed leisure, satisfaction with leisure, and emotional, cognitive, and behavioral benefits as perceived by young people with disabilities. The sample consisted of 400 young people (48.8% female) with disabilities (hearing, physical, intellectual, and visual), aged between 15 and 29 years, who live in the Basque region of northern Spain. Results revealed the following conclusions. First, gender and type of disability relate to the degree of self-management associated with leisure. Second, there was a significant association between the degree of satisfaction with leisure and level of self-management associated with leisure and this relationship varied by disability type but not gender. Third, leisure independently organized by young people (self-managed) was associated with higher perceived psychological benefits (emotional and cognitive) connected with their leisure engagement.

Ocio en la naturaleza como espacio de desarrollo juvenil / Leisure in nature as a space for youth development

El objetivo del artículo consiste en describir las implicaciones positivas que la realización de actividades de ocio en la naturaleza tiene en el desarrollo de la juventud, frente a aquellas actividades que se realizan en otros espacios. Para ello se analiza la principal actividad de ocio de los jóvenes (hombres y mujeres) que cursan estudios secundarios postobligatorios en el estado español, en relación con aspectos vinculados a los beneficios percibidos de su experiencia de ocio (físicos, emocionales, cognitivos, conductuales y sociales), el grado de responsabilidad y gestión por parte de los jóvenes de dicha práctica y, el grado de satisfacción y la importancia en su vida de esa práctica principal de ocio. Además, se caracterizan dichas prácticas, para poder visualizar los aspectos diferenciadores respecto a otro tipo de prácticas. Todo ello se realiza a través de la explotación de un cuestionario diseñado ad hoc, con una muestra de 1750 jóvenes de todo el estado español, tanto de diferentes tipos de enseñanza, como de instituciones de carácter público y privado

The objective of this article is to describe the positive implications that the practice of leisure activities in nature has in youth development, unlike those activities that take place in other areas. In order to do this, we analysed the main leisure activity of young women and men that are in post compulsory education in the Spanish school system, in relation to aspects linked to the benefits of this leisure experience (physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and social) and the level of responsibility and management of this young people, as well as the level of satisfaction and the importance that this practise has on their lives. Besides, we typified this practice, in order to visualise the distinguishing elements in relation to other different activities. All of this has been carried out through a questionnaire designed ad hoc and handed to a sample of 1750 students in the Spanish school system, both state and private schools