An Assessment of Students’ Recreation Participation

Abstract

 Recreational activities have psychological and social contributions in addition to individual recreation, and are extremely important especially for university students in development of healthy personality and establishing positive social relations. Continuation of a student's recreational activities after graduation, which has commenced at school, is quite significant in internalization of recreational awareness. The student's decision to continue a recreational activity in the future is dependent on the experiences of the student in this activity. This study aims to reveal detailed information about the recreation experiences of the students. Thus, the primary objective of the study was to access the information on preferred recreation activity categories, recreation experiences, and the intent to continue these activities. In the study, quantitative research approach was adopted and survey form was applied to a sample of 268 students who were registered to student clubs in the university. Factor analysis, correlation, and regression analysis were used in the analysis of the survey data. Result of the factor analysis conducted on the " Recreation Experience Preferences " (REP) scale items, it was determined that the scale was structured in seven dimensions of " physical exercise and rest, " " learning about new and different objects and people, " " leading and introspection, " " achievement, " " escape from personal-social pressures, " " learning about culture, arts and nature, " and " human relations " and REP scale could be used to assess recreational experiences as well as the determination of recreational preferences. The findings of the study determined that the students preferred social recreation activities the most, followed by cultural, artistic, and physical recreational activities. Student participation frequencies based on activity categories could be sorted as social, artistic, cultural, and physical, respectively. As the students' participation frequency in recreation activities increased, the experiences acquired increased as well. Thus, it was observed that as the frequency of participation in social, cultural, and artistic categories increased, the experiences in " learning about to nature, culture and art " and " escape from personal-social pressures " increased accordingly. The findings of the study determined that the dimensions of experience acquitted as a result of recreational activities of " leading and introspection " and " human relations " were effective on the intent of the students on sustaining the related recreational activity. Thus, applications that would help students to spend their leisure times in sustainable activities to become physically, mentally, and socially healthy individuals in the future and would develop their experiences in the dimensions of " leadership " and " human relations " should be prioritized.