Exploring the link: Active recreation, leisure boredom, and life satisfaction in South African undergraduate students

Student wellbeing is a growing research field, with limited research in a South African context, especially on the benefits of campus recreation sport (CRS) to students. This study determines the correlations between the frequency of participation in CRS, leisure boredom, and satisfaction with life (SWL) of undergraduate students at North-West University (NWU). A cross-sectional design was used with 512 students completing an online survey. Demographic information and data on frequency of participation, SWL, and leisure boredom were used. Spearman’s correlation was used to determine relationships between variables. Students were 48% male and 52% female and included white (71%), black (22%), coloured (6%) and “other” (1%) students. A significant negative correlation was found between SWL and leisure boredom (r=-0.170). Frequency of participation across all forms of CRS had a significant negative correlation with leisure boredom (r=-0.146) and a significant positive correlation with SWL (r=0.135). Outdoor activities showed the strongest positive correlation with SWL (r=0.143) and negative correlation with leisure boredom (r=-0.149). A significant positive correlation exists between active participation and satisfaction with life, and a significant negative correlation between total participation and leisure boredom, although these correlations were weak. The results indicate the potential of CRS to benefit students’ SWL.