Impact of perceived benefits of leisure travel on overall life satisfaction of people with mobility impairment

Leisure travel is a prominent phenomenon in modern day society. Although people with mobility impairments are likely to encounter barriers while traveling, research shows they have the same motivation for leisure travel as people without disabilities. However, no known research has provided empirical evidence regarding the outcomes of leisure travel for people with mobility impairment. This study examined empirically the impact of leisure travel’s benefits experienced by people with mobility impairment on their overall life satisfaction.

A total of 288 usable surveys were collected online from subscribers with mobility impairments to a mobility magazine. Three fourths of the respondents had traveled overnight for leisure purposes in the past 12 months. Life satisfaction was significantly correlated with the number of leisure trips taken last year, while not significantly correlated with years living with the disability, state of health and capability of conducting daily activities. Respondents reported “a better mood” after a leisure trip as the biggest benefit, followed by “more relaxed,” “mentally fitter,” “more recuperated,” “can concentrate more,” and “less depressed.”

Regression analyses and Sobel tests show the feeling of less depressed after a leisure trip enhanced life satisfaction through “social and emotional support” respondents received in life, their “overall activity level” and the “level of tension/stress” they experienced. In total, the feeling of less depressed along with the three mediators explained 35.8% of the variance in life satisfaction. More research is needed to understand the role of leisure travel in reducing depression.