Investigation of University Students' Recreation Benefit Awareness and Participation in Recreational Activities

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 341 - 353

Erkan Gülgösteren , Elçin Kara , İrfan Yıldırım , Nevzat Demirci

https://doi.org/10.25307/jssr.1592057

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between university students’ recreation benefit awareness and their participation in recreational activities, and to identify differences based on gender and academic department (recreation-related vs. other departments). This study was conducted using the relational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The sample of the study consists of 780 women and 733 men, totalling 1513 university students. The data were obtained through a questionnaire consisting of a personal information form, the Recreation Benefit Scale, and the Frequency of Leisure Participation Scale. The questionnaire was administered online via Google Forms, and participants completed it electronically. SPSS 22 statistical analysis program was used for the data obtained. In data analyses, descriptive statistics, independent samples T-test for categorical variables including two groups and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyse the relationships between numerical variables. p<0.05 significance level was selected. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference in the participants' awareness of physical (p<0.05) and psychological (p<0.01) recreation benefits and the type and frequency of participation in recreational activities according to gender. In addition, a significant difference was found in participants' awareness of the benefits of recreation, as well as in the type and frequency of their participation in recreational activities, based on their department. There was a positive correlation between participants' awareness of recreation benefits and the type and frequency of participation in recreational activities. It was determined that as university students' mean scores for recreational benefit awareness increased their frequency of participation in recreational activities also increased.

Keywords

Leisure time , Recreation benefit , Recreational activity participation

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