The effect of leisure time on mental health between extreme sport athletes

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 of Enghelab 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 4 subscales 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 the extremesports. 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.

Keywords:

Leisure time , mental health , athletes