![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Loneliness is a growing global public health concern, disproportionately affecting individuals with physical disabilities due to restricted social participation and limited opportunities for interpersonal interaction. Loneliness has been consistently linked to adverse mental health outcomes, particularly depression, while leisure activities are recognized as an important pathway to enhance social connectedness and psychological well-being. In South Korea, reduced environmental barriers have increased participation in active and social leisure activities, alongside a rapid expansion of solitary, online-based leisure. Drawing on the stress process framework and social participation theory, different types of leisure engagement may have distinct implications for psychosocial outcomes depending on their level of social interaction and engagement. Active and socially embedded leisure activities are likely to alleviate loneliness by enhancing social connectedness, whereas passive or solitary forms of leisure—particularly online-based activities conducted alone—may provide limited opportunities for meaningful interaction and may exacerbate feelings of isolation. However, prior research has largely focused on individual leisure activities, overlooking the heterogeneity and co-occurrence of activity patterns. This study aims to identify leisure activity patterns and examine the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between these patterns and depression.
Methods:
Data were collected from 407 adults with physical disabilities residing in Seoul, South Korea, in 2022. Leisure activity patterns were identified using 14 indicators (e.g., cultural activities, online engagement, TV viewing), and LCA was employed to capture the heterogeneity and co-occurrence of leisure behaviors. Depression was measured using the PHQ-2, and loneliness was assessed using a global single-item measure supported as a valid indicator in prior research. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics, disability-related factors, psychosocial variables (e.g., self-efficacy, discrimination), and environmental accessibility factors (e.g., access to public facilities and digital devices). Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine predictors of class membership, and mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 4) was used to test the indirect effects of leisure activity patterns on depression through loneliness.
Results:
Three distinct leisure activity profiles were identified: active leisure-oriented (11.1%), TV-oriented (38.1%), and online/social-oriented (50.9%). Compared to the active leisure-oriented group, both the TV-oriented (B=.816) and online/social-oriented (B=.501) groups were significantly associated with higher loneliness, which in turn was positively associated with depression (B=1.200). Indirect effects were significant, whereas direct effects were not (TV-oriented: B=.225; online/social-oriented: B=.055), indicating that loneliness fully mediated the relationship between leisure activity patterns and depression. These findings highlight the heterogeneity of leisure activities and underscore loneliness as a key psychosocial mechanism linking activity patterns to mental health outcomes.
Conclusions and Implications:
Findings suggest that not all forms of leisure activity confer equal mental health benefits, and that engagement in passive or less socially integrated activities may increase vulnerability to loneliness and depression. From a social work perspective, interventions should move beyond promoting activities and instead focus on enhancing the quality and social embeddedness of leisure experiences. Community-based programs that expand access to socially engaging and inclusive leisure opportunities, while reducing environmental barriers, may play a critical role in mitigating loneliness and improving mental health among individuals with physical disabilities.