The effect of leisure time on mental health between extreme sport athletes abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was survey effect of leisure time on
mental health between extreme sport
athletes Materials and methods: Statistical population includes all
athletes of motorcycling,paragliding and climbing of Tehran city in 2013. The statistical population was member ofEnghelab Club in motorcycle racing field, Shahran paragliding and climbing and their number was 280. The sample size was selected 188 persons. The sampling method was convenience sampling and the research method was correlation method. Data included four dimensions of
mental health such as physical symptom, anxiety, symptoms of depression and disorder in social functions and the researcher-made leisure time questionnaire with 4subscales and 32 questions was used. The subscales included travel and tourism, health, cultural effects, leisure time and satisfaction with leisure time. Reliability of the
mental health questionnaire was 0.89 and reliability of the leisure time questionnaire was reported 0.87.Results and discussions: Results showed that there was significant relationship between leisure time and its subscales and between
mental health and its subscales in
athletes of theextremesports. Two variables of physical symptom and anxiety and symptoms of depression and disorder in social functions were in low level. There was the highest correlation between travel and
mental health and the lowest correlation between role of leisure time and anxiety.There is significant multiple relationship between subscales of leisure time and
mental health among
athletes of the extreme sports. Predictor variables were active leisure time, travel and tourism, health, cultural effects and satisfaction with leisure time. Conclusion: It is recommended that this research be conducted in larger samples and other sport disciplines and similar researches can be conducted from the viewpoint of authorities about execution of general principles for implementation of
mental health promotion strategies among the people