LEISURE ORIENTATIONS AND SELF-ESTEEM IN WOMEN WITH LOW INCOMES WHO ARE OVERWEIGHT

The view that leisure research has been androcentric has precipitated an increased interest in women's leisure. Likewise, recent concerns about socio-cultural diversity have underscored the importance of studying people who have been disenfranchised from the mainstream of society. This study examines the leisure orientations of women (n=222) with low incomes who were not employed outside the home; they were predominately overweight and African American. Desired recreation activities most often identified by the sample were outings away from the home, fitness activities, relaxation activities, and family social interaction. The most frequently reported constraints to leisure were responsibility for family care, lack of finances, body image/health problems, and housework. Results indicated positive correlations between self-esteem and active participation in recreation activities, and negative correlations between self-esteem and leisure constraints. These women expressed little opportunity for leisure in spite of being unemployed. Results support the importance of the relationship between self-esteem and leisure constraints.