| This study examined how various leisure-related factors influenced health status by developing and testing a "successful aging through leisure" model among a sample of older adults, aged 55 and older. I examined the concept of successful aging in leisure as it relates to activity participation in light of the process of leisure engagement. In other words, individuals who maintain a successful level of participation in physical activity as a result of the leisure engagement process are managing their lives well, at least with respect to leisure (i.e., participation in gardening). Specifically, I was interested in examining the factors that collectively support continued involvement in a desired physical activity, gardening, in the face of leisure constraints.;A convenience sample of 290 people aged 55 or older was obtained from people who reside in retirement communities in Pennsylvania. For the purposes of this study, potential predictors of successful aging (i.e., physical & mental health status) were selected from the following categories: leisure constraints, intrinsic motivation, selective optimization with compensation (SOC), leisure-generated social support (SS), and participation in gardening. In order to better understand the dynamics of the leisure constraint negotiation process that influence physical activity participation, I used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test five models: direct effect, moderating effect, constraints-reduction, perceived-motivation-reduction, and perceived-social support model.;According to the results, only physical health was reported the leisure engagement variables of interest to this study and their relation while mental health was not fit using SEM. The constraints-reduction model provided a best fit model to the data (X2/df = 1.451, p = .191, CFI = .984, TLI = .943, RMSEA = .040). Experiencing higher levels of constraint participating less (beta = -29), however, constraints influenced use of negotiation resources and strategies (i.e., SOC, beta = -.21). Also, the greater the use of these negotiations resources, the higher the level of leisure participation in gardening (beta = .20), and in turn, perceived better physical health (beta = .36). The results supported the constraints negotiation propositions developed by Jackson, Crawford, and Godbey (1993) and the previous theoretical model conducted by Hubbard and Mannell (2001) which explains the role of negotiation resources and strategies in the leisure constraints engagement process. |
