Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
18th World Leisure Congress, Breda, Hollanda, 25 - 29 Ağustos 2025, ss.95, (Özet Bildiri)
The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly affected individuals' daily routines and psychological well-being. Restrictions on social life and limited access to leisure activities have altered how people cope with stress and maintain mental health. This study aimed to examine the direct and indirect relationships between leisure satisfaction and psychological variables—including stress, anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being—before and during the Covid-19. Data were collected from 531 adults (296 women, 235 men; M=36.63, SD=14.08) residing in Turkey at two time points: pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized models, and paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare mean differences. Before the pandemic, leisure satisfaction was negatively related to stress, anxiety, and depression (β=-.13, p<.01), and positively related to life satisfaction (β=.34, p<.01) and psychological well-being (β=.21, p<.01). These relationships were also evident during the pandemic but showed stronger effects. For example, the negative association with distress variables increased (β=−.22, p<.01), while the positive effects on life satisfaction (β=.53, p<.01) and well-being (β=.39, p<.01) also intensified.Model fit indices indicated acceptable fit for the pre-pandemic model (χ²/df=3.210, RMSEA=.065, SRMR=.058, CFI=.933, NNFI=.906, TLI=.922) and superior fit during the pandemic (χ²/df=2.687, RMSEA=.056, SRMR=.051, CFI=.955, NNFI=.931, TLI=.947), suggesting robust structural validity. Mean comparisons revealed significant declines in leisure satisfaction (t(530)=13.832, p<.001), life satisfaction (t(530)=15.096, p<.001), and psychological well-being (t(530)=8.464, p<.001), along with significant increases in stress (t(530)=−12.574, p<.001), anxiety (t(530)=−13.970, p<.001), and depression (t(530)=−13.897, p<.001) during the pandemic. Eventually, it was revealed that leisure time satisfaction decreased stress, anxiety and depression of individuals both before and during the pandemic, and as a result, life satisfaction and psychological well-being of individuals increased directly and indirectly. Findings highlight that leisure satisfaction plays a protective role in mitigating psychological distress and promoting well-being, especially during crisis periods such as a pandemic.