Serious Leisure and Psychological Well-Being in Mat Exercises: The Mediating Role of Event Satisfaction

The present study investigated the correlations between serious leisure participation, leisure satisfaction, and psychological well-being among adults regularly engaging in mat-based exercise activities. A total of 337 participants (282 females, 55 males) completed the Serious Leisure Inventory, Leisure Satisfaction Scale, and Psychological Well-Being Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for independent variables, correlational, and mediation analyses were conducted. Results demonstrated that female, married, socially engaged, and regularly participating individuals reported significantly higher levels of serious leisure participation and psychological well-being. Structural equation modeling indicated that serious leisure participation directly predicted psychological well-being, while event satisfaction partially mediated this correlation. The mediating effect of event satisfaction was significant yet modest. These findings underscore the importance of structured and sustained participation in mat exercises to foster psychological well-being, supporting the theoretical frameworks of Serious Leisure and the DRAMMA model.