title: Does leisure time moderate or mediate the effect of daily stress on positive affect? An examination using eight-day diary data.
abstract: This study tested the applicability of moderation and mediation models to leisure time as a stress coping resource. Analyzing eight-day diary data (N=2,022), we examined thewithin-person process of using leisure time to cope with daily stressors. We found that relatively high daily stress frequency, while reducing positive affect, prompted an individual to allocate more time to leisure than usual, which then increased positive affect, thus partially remedying the damage by high daily stress frequency. This within-person process, however, is significantly stronger among those with less leisure time on average than leisure-rich individuals. The findings support a partial counteractive mediation model, demonstrate between-person difference in the within-person coping process, and reveal the importance of positive affect as a coping outcome.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Extension Professor in the Tourism Center at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
authors.forename: Xinyi Lisa
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor in Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at the Pennsylvania State University.
authors.forename: Careen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yarnal
authors.affiliation: Professor in Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the Pennsylvania State University.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Almeida
keywords: daily stress; leisure time; mediation; moderation; positive affect