Cited by 773Aging and Gerontology ResearchAging, Health, and DisabilityRecreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 88 of the 88 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 67 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

A critical review of the literature on social and leisure activity and wellbeing in later life

Open access

Abstract

ABSTRACT An engaged lifestyle is seen as an important component of successful ageing. Many older adults with high participation in social and leisure activities report positive wellbeing, a fact that fuelled the original activity theory and that continues to influence researchers, theorists and practitioners. This study's purpose is to review the conceptualisation and measurement of activity among older adults and the associations reported in the gerontological literature between specific dimensions of activity and wellbeing. We searched published studies that focused on social and leisure activity and wellbeing, and found 42 studies in 44 articles published between 1995 and 2009. They reported from one to 13 activity domains, the majority reporting two or three, such as informal , formal and solitary , or productive versus leisure . Domains associated with subjective wellbeing, health or survival included social, leisure, productive, physical, intellectual, service and solitary activities. Informal social activity has accumulated the most evidence of an influence on wellbeing. Individual descriptors such as gender or physical functioning sometimes moderate these associations, while contextual variables such as choice, meaning or perceived quality play intervening roles. Differences in definitions and measurement make it difficult to draw inferences about this body of evidence on the associations between activity and wellbeing. Activity theory serves as shorthand for these as…

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1017/s0144686x10001091

Cites

88 of 88 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

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Claims the paper makes

35 No full text of the sources · 25 No basis given · 17 Own interpretation · 16 Own result · 11 Not checked yet · 5 Sources not found · 2 Own method

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 39
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 27
56 of 56
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    An engaged lifestyle is an important component of successful ageing.

    “An engaged lifestyle is seen as an important component of successful ageing.”
    “An engaged lifestyle is widely regarded as an important component of successful ageing.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many older adults with active participation in social and leisure activities report positive wellbeing.

    “Many older adults with high participation in social and leisure activities report positive wellbeing”
    “Many older adults with active participation in social and leisure activities report positive wellbeing”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The statistical covariates used in the included studies adequately control for confounding.

    “We included cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, but chose only studies in which statistical covariates and/or grouping variables were used to control for effects of socio-demographic attributes or other variables that might associate with wellbeing, health or survival.”
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Citations

Cites

Show all 88 references

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Janke, 2006, Implications of selective optimization with compensation on the physical, formal and informal leisure patterns of adults, Indian Journal of Gerontology, 20, 51

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Metadata

Authors
ADAMS, K. B., LEIBBRANDT, S., & MOON, H.
Affiliations
Case Western Reserve University (US)
Corresponding author
ADAMS, KATHRYN BETTS
Venue
Ageing and Society
Published
2010-12-03
Volume
31
Issue
4
Pages
683-712
ISSN
  • 0144-686X (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-1779
OpenAlex
W2096403889
Cited by
773
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 62 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 76 · 2021: 73 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 65 · 2016: 56 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 15
FWCI
15.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
Ageing and Society (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management › Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management
Keywords
social activity, leisure activity, older adults, well-being, successful aging, activity theory, solitary activities, productive activities, subjective well-being, physical function, gender differences, meaning of activity

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