Abstract
Introduction:
Recreational sports activities can offer participants many physical, psychological, and social benefits. The flow state they feel during participation can give them a sense of satisfaction and positively change their attitudes toward participation in recreational sports activities. This study aimed to determine the role of recreational flow experience and well-being on the re-participation intention in recreational sport participants.
Method:
A personal information form, the “Recreational Flow Experience Scale,” the “Recreational Sport Well-being Scale,” and the “Re-participation Intention Scale” were used as data collection tools. The sample group consisted of a total of 402 voluntary recreational sport participants including 191 women (47.5%) and 211 men (52.5%), who were selected by purposive sampling method in recreational parks and areas in Bingöl, Türkiye. The SPSS software was used to analyze data. Independent Samples t-test, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation analysis, and Regression analysis methods were used in the analysis process.
Result:
Statistically significant differences were observed between re-participation intention and the variables of gender, years of participation in sportive recreational activities, and frequency of participation. Statistically significant differences were also found between the frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities and life satisfaction and positive feelings subscales. There was also a statistically significant difference between the years of participation in sportive recreational activities and the recreational flow experience. A moderate positive correlation was found between recreational flow experience, recreational sport well-being, and re-participation intention variables.
Discussion:
Family flourishing and positive feelings have a significant relationship on individuals’ intention to re-participate in recreational activities. This suggests that emotional and social well-being may play an important role in the sustainability of participation in recreational sports. As the experience and frequency of participation in recreational sports activities increased, the levels of well-being elevated. Moreover, as the recreational flow experience and recreational well-being level elevated, the intention to re-participate in recreational sport activities increased. For this reason, organizing programs and studies to encourage continuous participation in recreational activities can benefit the well-being level of the society.
Introduction
Flow theory describes a state in which individuals become completely focused on an activity, where their skill level and the challenge of the task are in balance. This process can enhance an individual’s motivation, alter their perception of time, and enable them to become fully immersed in the activity. The flow experience has been associated with optimal performance in areas such as sports, education, and work. Flow experience, as a psychological and performance-oriented concept, is one of the basic elements of positive psychology, which defines the moments when a person feels completely satisfied with an intense mood (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). The flow experience indicates that the person is immersed or engaged in an activity that distracts from unrelated emotions and thoughts (Perttula et al., 2017; Turan, 2019). This experiential process is a subjective psychological state in which an individual becomes deeply immersed in an activity (Fullagar et al., 2013). During this experience, the perception of time and surroundings fades, and a high level of motivation to engage in the activity is achieved (Ottiger et al., 2021; Abuhamdeh, 2020). Attention is fully directed toward the activity, and the individual becomes completely absorbed in it (Marty-Dugas et al., 2021). During the flow experience process, participants have an optimal experience between skill and difficulty (Mao et al., 2016). Ensuring balance prevents them from experiencing boredom, stress or anxiety. The optimal experience allows those who are distracted from the problems to focus on the activity. This optimal experience keeps them in the flow channel. The balance of skill and difficulty has been theorized to show the signs of flow (Moneta, 2004). People can encounter difficulties in cases where the skill is insufficient to maintain the activity (Kiili et al., 2012). In this process, they may experience negative emotions such as stress, anxiety and fear. If there is a balance between skill and difficulty in the activity, individuals are satisfied and experiences the flow process with pleasure (Orhun and Gülcan, 2022; Keller and Blomann, 2008). The flow process continues when they persist an activity with a high level of interest, concentration and pleasure. In this process, they usually experience a loss of intrinsic interest and time perception and experience a high degree of happiness (Rha et al., 2005; Voiskounsky et al., 2004; Ayhan and Eskiler, 2024). This feeling of happiness can help them to continue the activity and elevate their level of skill and difficulty. At this point, happiness is not merely the result of luck or fortune but is experienced through the individual’s engagement in an activity, fostering internal satisfaction and a sense of control over their experiences. In this way, the individual achieves an optimal experience or a state of flow (Csikszentmihalyi and LeFevre, 1989; Csikszentmihalyi and Hunter, 2003; Collins et al., 2009).
In the flow experience, the balanced interaction between the difficulty of the task and the individual’s skill level enables the person to achieve a sense of satisfaction (Zhang and Abd Rahman, 2022). The optimal experience, sense of satisfaction, and state of flow achieved through participation in an activity can influence behavioral intentions (Ding and Hung, 2021; Uhm et al., 2022). Participants may want to participate again in any activity in which they feel a sense of satisfaction. Within the framework of the theory of planned behavior, an individual’s prior experience with a behavior or activity, coupled with a strong motivation toward that behavior, can trigger the intention to participate in the activity again (Ajzen, 1991; Karakullukcu et al., 2025). This re-participation is determined by behavioral intention. Behavioral intention includes positive and negative individual judgments toward the actions that people may perform in the future (Ma and Kaplanidou, 2021; Avan and Karaküçük, 2024). In behavioral intention, the activity participants want to re-participate in an activity that they are satisfied with and recommend it to others (Li et al., 2020; Demirhan and Eskiler, 2018). At this point, behavioral intention shows their willingness to perform an action (Filo et al., 2013). Thus, one’s intention to re-participate appears as the state of exhibiting behavior again for an action that they have previously experienced depending on the level of motivation (Ayhan, 2022). The individual’s intention to participate again, along with their actual engagement in the activity, may also influence the re-experiencing of the flow state (Kim, 2022). Flow experience is a situation that can be experienced not only in a person’s work or compulsory activities, but also in leisure time activities that can provide recreational participation.
With the flow experience, the desire to re-participation in an activity can sometimes be a compulsory work or a social activity that the person participates in for recreational purposes. These recreational activities include spending time in a park, engaging in art, participating in sports organizations, having a hobby, participating in metaleisure activities, or sometimes doing nothing (Reed et al., 2025), and metaleisure or metarec activities in 3 or more dimensional universes (Bayram, 2022). In the case of sporting, artistic or casual participation for recreational purposes, it can be considered that people can make use of the benefits of this type of participation at a high level. Among these, recreational sports activities include the evaluation of sportive activities for leisure and entertainment purposes depending on various physical activities (Ayar, 2017; Lower et al., 2013). At this point, recreational sports activities can be considered as non-occupational, voluntary and leisure physical activities and exercises (Durhan and Karaküçük, 2020; Yalçın and Ayhan, 2020). It is an area where less physical and mental effort is exhibited compared to sports, which are based on competition and struggle, aiming at the improvement of various elements such as entertainment, socialization, health and physical fitness (Kenefick and Cheuvront, 2012).
Participation in recreational sports activities can significantly increase the psychological and physiological well-being of individuals and this may increase their happiness in direct proportion. Previous studies reported that if people participate in recreational sports activities, they physically and psychologically feel better and experience positive emotions (Chatzisarantis and Hagger, 2007), their stress decreases, their general mood improves and their depressive and anxiety symptoms are alleviated (Penedo and Dahn, 2005). When examining from physiological aspect, it is seen that recreational activities improve muscle strength, cardiovascular health, and physical fitness (Warburton et al., 2006). Participants who feel well-being with recreational sports feel positive emotions and achieve success (Gümüşay et al., 2023). Recreational sport well-being refers to the state of well-being offered by recreational sporting activities (Koç, 2022). Recreational flow experience enhances psychological well-being and satisfaction, fostering positive emotions and engagement in activities (Cho and Shin, 2020; Decloe et al., 2009; Ayhan et al., 2020). During the process of recreational flow experience, participants can experience positive emotions such as joy, happiness and a sense of achievement. These positive emotions enable them to participate in activities again (Wöran and Arnberger, 2012). With the flow experience experienced in participation in sportive recreational activities, the person shows a willingness to re-participate in the activity with the perceived benefit and interest in the activity (Ayhan, 2022). The psychological benefits provided by activities can lead to improvements in individuals’ problem-solving skills and self-esteem. Recreational sports activities contribute positively to the physical and psychological health of individuals and are important for society. Participation in such activities leads to an increase in individuals’ overall quality of life and life satisfaction (Al Ahmed, 2024; Mutz et al., 2021; Stenseng et al., 2015). However, participants’ sustainability in participation in sportive activities depends on various factors. Among these factors, the flow experience and well-being that participants feel during the sportive activity process are essential. In this context, this study aimed to examine the effect of flow experience and well-being experienced by recreational sports participants on their intention to re-participate in activities. Examining the effect of flow experience and well-being on the re-participation intention will provide important information about long-term participation in recreational sports activities. Numerous studies have investigated the concepts of recreational flow experience, recreational well-being and re-participation intention, which can affect human psychology with participation in recreational sports (Gumus et al., 2021; Ayhan and Alanoglu, 2023; Akçakese et al., 2024). In the study, the relationship between recreational flow experience, recreational well-being, and re-participation intention, as well as the effects among various variables, were examined. Considering this information, the significance of this study emerges to explain the well-being and re-participation intention among recreational sports participants as a result of experiencing flow. At this point, we focused on the question of how recreational flow experience and well-being affect recreational sport participants’ re-participation intention. In this sense, the results of this study will contribute to literature. In addition, the results of the study aim to explain the effect of flow experience on physical and mental health, life satisfaction, family and social relationships, general well-being and happiness in life in those who participate in recreational sports activities. For this reason, the following hypotheses were established.
H1: There is a positive relationship between Recreational flow experience, recreational well-being and re-participation intention.
H2: As recreational flow experience and recreational well-being increase, re-participation intention also increases.
Methods
Research model and participants
The study design is cross-sectional and exploratory of relationships. The research group consists of 402 individuals selected through purposive sampling from individuals who voluntarily participated in recreational sports activities in parks and recreation areas in Bingöl, Türkiye. In determining the sample size, the unlimited population sampling formula (n = p.q.z 2 α/e2) was used. The sample size was determined as 384 people (n = p.q.z 2 α/e2 = 1.962 × 0.5 × 0.5 / 0.052 = 3.8416 × 0.25 / 0.0025 = 384) at 5% significance level and 5% sampling error by taking into account the ratio that maximizes the variance (p: 0.50) (Ural and Kılıç, 2006). Within the scope of the research, data were collected from 450 volunteer individuals. 48 incomplete or inaccurate questionnaires were excluded from the scope of the research and 402 individuals were included in the scope of the research. A total of 402 individuals engaged in recreational sports including 211 men (52.5%) and 191 women (47.5%) participated in the study (Table 1). The data were collected through face-to-face interviews with recreational sports participants between 15 May 2024 and 15 June 2024, using structured questionnaires and scales to gather relevant data.
Table 1
| Variables | Category | n | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 18–20 years | 96 | 23.9 |
| 21–23 years | 188 | 46.8 | |
| 24 years and older | 118 | 29.3 | |
| Gender | Female | 191 | 47.5 |
| Male | 211 | 52.5 | |
| Monthly income (Turkish Lira) | 0–5,000 | 265 | 65.9 |
| 5,001–10,000 | 48 | 11.9 | |
| 10,001–15,000 | 31 | 7.7 | |
| 15,001 and above | 58 | 14.5 | |
| Years of participation in sportive recreational activities | 1–3 years | 127 | 31.6 |
| 3–5 years | 61 | 15.2 | |
| 5–7 years | 97 | 24.1 | |
| 7 years and above | 117 | 29.1 | |
| Frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities | 1–2 days a week | 227 | 56.5 |
| 3–4 days a week | 121 | 30.1 | |
| 5–7 days a week | 54 | 13.4 |
Descriptive results of participants’ demographic variables.
Data collection tools
In addition to a personal information form used to determine the demographic characteristics of the participants, the “Recreational Flow Experience Scale,” the “Recreational Sport Well-being Scale,” and the “Re-participation Intention Scale” were used.
Personal information form
In order to determine the personal characteristics of the research participants, questions on age, gender, monthly income, years of participation in sportive recreational activities, and frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities were included.
Recreational flow experience scale
The Recreational Flow Experience Scale, developed by Ayhan et al. (2020), was used to determine the flow states perceived by the participants during the recreational activity. The scale consists of 9 items that are rated using a 7-point Likert scale [(1) Strongly disagree, …, (7) Strongly agree] with a single dimension. There are no reverse-coded items in the scale, and the minimum score is 1 while the maximum score is 7. According to the validity and reliability statistical results for the recreational flow experience scale, it was determined that Cronbach’s α coefficient was α = 0.94. Additionally, the test–retest analysis indicated that the inter-item correlation coefficient r = 0.81. In the present study, Cronbach’s α coefficient for the recreational flow experience scale was found to be α = 0.90. A high mean value obtained from the scale indicates that the recreational flow experience is strongly experienced, while a low mean value suggests that the recreational flow experience is weakly experienced.
Recreational sport well-being scale
The Recreational Sport Well-Being Scale, developed by Pi et al. (2022) and adapted to Turkish by Koç (2022), was used to assess the well-being obtained by the participants from their recreational sports activity experiences. The scale has 14 items and 4 subscales (physical and mental health, life satisfaction, family flourishing, and positive feelings). The items of the scale are rated using a 5-point likert scale [(1) Strongly disagree, …, (5) Strongly agree]. There are no reverse-coded items in the scale, and the minimum score is 1 while the maximum score is 5. Cronbach’s α coefficients of the subscales of the scale were found as α = 0.83 for physical and mental health, α = 0.80 for life satisfaction, α = 0.88 for family flourishing, and α = 0.81 for positive feelings. In the present study, they were found to be α = 0.68, α = 0.78, α = 0.89, and α = 0.85, respectively.
Re-participation intention scale
The Re-Participation Intention Scale, developed by Şimşek (2011) was used to determine the participants’ re-participation intention in recreational activities. The scale consists of 6 items and one dimension. The items of the scale are scored on a 5-point Likert scale [(1) Strongly disagree, …, (5) Strongly agree] and 2 items are reverse coded. There are no reverse-coded items in the scale, and the minimum score is 1 while the maximum score is 5. In the validity and reliability analysis of the scale, Cronbach’s α coefficient was α = 0.69 and composite reliability value was CR = 0.74. In the present study, the Cronbach’s α coefficient of the scale was determined as α = 0.77. The high mean scores signify that the re-participate intention is high.
Ethical considerations
This study was found to be ethically appropriate upon the decision of the Bingöl University Health Sciences Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee numbered E-33117789-770-157854.
Statistical analysis
The data of the study was analyzed through the SPSS statistical software. Descriptive statistics (percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation) were used to determine the demographic characteristics of the participants. Whether or not the data were normally distributed was determined based on skewness and kurtosis values (Table 2). Parametric tests were used since the data were normally distributed. One-way ANOVA test, Independent t-test, Pearson Correlation analysis, and Linear Regression analysis were used for normally distributed data. Post hoc (Tukey) analysis was used to determine the difference between the groups in the ANOVA test. Significance was set at p < 0.01 and p < 0.05.
Table 2
| Variables | N | Minimum | Maximum | Mean | Skewness | Kurtosis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational flow experience | 402 | 3.00 | 7.00 | 6.04 | −0.672 | 1.065 |
| Physical and mental health | 402 | 2.50 | 5.00 | 4.08 | 0.053 | −0.052 |
| Life satisfaction | 402 | 2.75 | 5.00 | 4.25 | −0.165 | −0.404 |
| Family flourishing | 402 | 1.00 | 5.00 | 3.82 | −0.638 | ,586 |
| Positive feelings | 402 | 2.00 | 5.00 | 4.28 | −0.209 | −0.186 |
| Re-participation intention | 402 | 2.00 | 5.00 | 4.18 | −0.447 | 0.576 |
Skewness and kurtosis values for recreational flow experience, recreational sport well-being, and re-participation intention scales.
When Table 2 is examined, it is determined that the Skewness and Kurtosis values of the recreational flow experience scale, recreational sport well-being scale and re-participation intention scale are between −1.5 and +1.5 points. Tabachnick et al. (2007) emphasized that Skewness and Kurtosis values between −1.5 and +1.5 points show normal distribution of the data and parametric tests should be used.
Results
When Table 3 was analyzed, a statistically significant difference was found between the gender variable and the re-participation intention (p < 0.05). This difference indicates that male individuals have a higher re-participation intention than female individuals. No statistically significant difference was found between the recreational flow experience scale, and physical and mental health, life satisfaction, family flourishing, and positive feelings subscales of recreational sport well-being scale according to gender variable (p > 0.05).
Table 3
| Scales | Gender | N | Mean | SD | t | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational flow experience | Female | 191 | 6.05 | 0.66 | 0.233 | 0.816 |
| Male | 211 | 6.03 | 0.69 | |||
| Physical and mental health | Female | 191 | 4.09 | 0.49 | 0.575 | 0.566 |
| Male | 211 | 4.06 | 0.51 | |||
| Life satisfaction | Female | 191 | 4.23 | 0.56 | 0.542 | 0.588 |
| Male | 211 | 4.26 | 0.52 | |||
| Family flourishing | Female | 191 | 3.78 | 0.79 | 0.998 | 0.319 |
| Male | 211 | 3.86 | 0.83 | |||
| Positive feelings | Female | 191 | 4.26 | 0.54 | 0.790 | 0.430 |
| Male | 211 | 4.30 | 0.57 | |||
| Re-participation intention | Female | 191 | 4.12 | 0.56 | −1.976 | 0.049* |
| Male | 211 | 4.23 | 0.56 |
Construct t-test results regarding recreational flow experience scale, re-participation intention scale, and subscales of recreational sport well-being scale according to participants’ gender.
*p < 0.05.
When Table 4 was examined, it was observed that there was a statistically significant difference between the years of participation in sportive recreational activities and the recreational flow experience scale, re-participation intention scale, and recreational sport well-being scale’s life satisfaction, family flourishing, and positive feelings subscales (p < 0.05). It has been found that as the number of years of participation in sportive recreational activities increases, the recreational flow experience, recreational well-being and re-participation intention also increase. No statistically significant difference was detected between the physical and mental health subscale and participants’ years of participation in sportive recreational activities (p > 0.05).
Table 4
| Scales | Years of participation in sportive recreational activities | N | Mean | SD | F | p | Post hoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational flow experience | 1–3 yearsA | 127 | 5.79 | 0.67 | 9.643 | 0.000* | A-B,C,D |
| 3–5 yearsB | 61 | 6.08 | 0.59 | ||||
| 5–7 yearsC | 97 | 6.13 | 0.73 | ||||
| 7 years and aboveD | 117 | 6.22 | 0.60 | ||||
| Physical and mental health | 1–3 yearsA | 127 | 4.00 | 0.49 | 0.503 | 0.213 | - |
| 3–5 yearsB | 61 | 4.10 | 0.52 | ||||
| 5–7 yearsC | 97 | 4.12 | 0.54 | ||||
| 7 years and aboveD | 117 | 4.11 | 0.46 | ||||
| Life satisfaction | 1–3 yearsA | 127 | 4.09 | 0.54 | 5.361 | 0.001* | A-B,C,D |
| 3–5 yearsB | 61 | 4.34 | 0.55 | ||||
| 5–7 yearsC | 97 | 4.35 | 0.53 | ||||
| 7 years and aboveD | 117 | 4.28 | 0.50 | ||||
| Family flourishing | 1–3 yearsA | 127 | 3.67 | 0.78 | 3.041 | 0.029* | A-C |
| 3-5 yearsB | 61 | 3.89 | 0.82 | ||||
| 5–7 yearsC | 97 | 3.99 | 0.82 | ||||
| 7 years and aboveD | 117 | 3.81 | 0.82 | ||||
| Positive feelings | 1–3 yearsA | 127 | 4.18 | 0.52 | 4.141 | 0.007* | A-C |
| 3-5 yearsB | 61 | 4.31 | 0.50 | ||||
| 5–7 yearsC | 97 | 4.43 | 0.57 | ||||
| 7 years and aboveD | 117 | 4.25 | 0.58 | ||||
| Re-participation intention | 1–3 yearsA | 127 | 3.98 | 0.58 | 8.739 | 0.000* | A-B,C,D |
| 3–5 yearsB | 61 | 4.25 | 0.55 | ||||
| 5–7 yearsC | 97 | 4.24 | 0.55 | ||||
| 7 years and aboveD | 117 | 4.31 | 0.50 |
ANOVA results regarding recreational flow experience scale, re-participation intention scale, and subscales of recreational sport well-being scale according to participants’ years of participation in sportive recreational activities.
*p < 0.05; Post hoc (Tukey). A–D represents groups and - represents differences between groups.
When Table 5 was examined, a statistically significant difference was found between the frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities and life satisfaction and positive feelings subscales and re-participation intention scale (p < 0.05). This difference is between those who participate 1–2 times a week and those who participate 3–4 times a week in life satisfaction and positive feelings subscales and it is in favor of those who participate 3–4 times a week. In addition, it was found that as the frequency of weekly participation in recreational sport activities increased, re-participation intention also increased. No statistically significant difference was found between the recreational flow experience scale, family flourishing and physical and mental health subscales and the frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities (p > 0.05).
Table 5
| Scales | Frequency of participation in activities | N | Mean | SD | F | p | Post hoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational flow experience | 1–2 days a weekA | 227 | 5.93 | 0.66 | 9.061 | 0.267 | - |
| 3–4 days a weekB | 121 | 6.14 | 0.64 | ||||
| 5–7 days a weekC | 54 | 6.30 | 0.73 | ||||
| Physical and mental health | 1–2 days a weekA | 227 | 4.04 | 0.49 | 1.325 | 0.267 | - |
| 3–4 days a weekB | 121 | 4.12 | 0.50 | ||||
| 5–7 days a weekC | 54 | 4.12 | 0.54 | ||||
| Life satisfaction | 1–2 days a weekA | 227 | 4.17 | 0.52 | 5.025 | 0.007* | A-B |
| 3-4 days a weekB | 121 | 4.35 | 0.55 | ||||
| 5–7 days a weekC | 54 | 4.33 | 0.52 | ||||
| Family flourishing | 1–2 days a weekA | 227 | 3.75 | 0.77 | 1.812 | 0.165 | - |
| 3–4 days a weekB | 121 | 3.91 | 0.86 | ||||
| 5–7 days a weekC | 54 | 3.89 | 0.88 | ||||
| Positive feelings | 1–2 days a weekA | 227 | 4.21 | 0.56 | 4.890 | 0.008* | A-B |
| 3-4 days a weekB | 121 | 4.40 | 0.50 | ||||
| 5–7 days a weekC | 54 | 4.31 | 0.61 | ||||
| Re-participation intention | 1–2 days a weekA | 227 | 4.08 | 0.57 | 9.554 | 0.000* | A-B,C |
| 3-4 days a weekB | 121 | 4.26 | 0.50 | ||||
| 5–7 days a weekC | 54 | 4.40 | 0.58 |
ANOVA results regarding recreational flow experience scale, re-participation intention scale, and subscales of recreational sport well-being scale according to participants’ frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities.
*p < 0.05; Post hoc (Tukey). A–C represents groups and - represents differences between groups.
When the results of the analysis in Table 6 were analyzed, it was determined that there was a positive and moderately significant correlation between the recreational flow experience scale, subscales (physical and mental health, life satisfaction, family flourishing, positive feelings) of recreational sport well-being scale, and the re-participation intention scale (p < 0.05).
Table 6
| Variables | (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreational flow experience (1) | r | 1 | |||||
| p | |||||||
| Physical and mental health (2) | r | 0.391** | 1 | ||||
| p | 0.000 | ||||||
| Life satisfaction (3) | r | 0.419** | 0.589** | 1 | |||
| p | 0.000 | 0.000 | |||||
| Family flourishing (4) | r | 0.316** | 0.380** | 0.389** | 1 | ||
| p | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | ||||
| Positive feelings (5) | r | 0.464** | 0.474** | 0.573** | 0.365** | 1 | |
| p | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |||
| Re-participation intention (6) | r | 0.483** | 0.317** | 0.386** | 0.341** | 0.417** | 1 |
| p | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | ||
Pearson correlation analysis results regarding recreational flow experience scale, re-participation intention scale, and subscales of recreational sport well-being scale.
N: 402; **p < 0.01.
When Table 7 is examined, multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of recreational flow experience on re-participation intention. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that the recreational flow experience variable had a significant positive effect on the re-participation intention (B = 0.483, p < 0.01). Based on this finding, the flow experience felt as a result of participation in recreational sports activities can also increase the re-participation intention. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the recreational flow experience predicted the re-participation intention by 23% (Adj.R2 = 0.231).
Table 7
| Dependent variable: re-participation intention | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | B | t | p | R2 | Adj.R2 | F |
| Constant | 7.965 | 0.001 | 0.233 | 0.231 | 121.702 | |
| Recreational flow experience | 0.483 | 11.032 | 0.001 | |||
The effect of recreational flow experience scale on re-participation intention.
p < 0.01.
When Table 8 is examined, multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of recreational sport well-being sub-dimensions on the re-participation intention. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that the family flourishing development sub-dimension variable had a significant positive effect on the re-participation intention (B = 0.175, p < 0.01). In addition, the positive feelings sub-dimension variable was found to have a significant positive effect on the re-participation intention (B = 0.246, p < 0.01). Based on this finding, recreational sports can increase re-participation intention by increasing well-being in family flourishing and positive feelings. In addition, it was determined that the physical and mental health and life satisfaction sub-dimensions variables did not have an effect on the re-participation intention. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that recreational sport well-being sub-dimensions predicted the re-participation intention by 22% (Adj.R2 = 0.227).
Table 8
| Dependent variable: re-participation intention | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variables | B | t | p | R2 | Adj.R2 | F |
| Constant | 7.519 | 0.001 | 0.235 | 0.227 | 30.450 | |
| Physical and mental health | 0.045 | 0.802 | 0.423 | |||
| Life satisfaction | 0.151 | 2.500 | 0.013 | |||
| Family flourishing | 0.175 | 3.556 | 0.001 | |||
| Positive feelings | 0.246 | 4.434 | 0.001 | |||
The effect of recreational sport well-being sub-dimensions on re-participation intention.
p < 0.01.
Discussion
The findings of the present study, which was conducted to examine the role of recreational flow experience and well-being on re-participation intention in recreational sports participants and to determine whether there are differences between the variables, were interpreted.
The analysis made based on gender variable indicated no significant difference in terms of recreational flow and well-being. Studies indicate that there is no significant difference in flow experience based on gender, and this finding is supported by research in the literature (Stavrou et al., 2007; Korer and Alpullu, 2020; Mouelhi-Guizani et al., 2023; Yapıcı et al., 2022; Bedir, 2023). Additionally, well-being does not appear to be influenced by gender (Joshi, 2010; Wolsko et al., 2019; Köksal et al., 2023; Gümüşay et al., 2023; Koç et al., 2024). Similarly, no relationship has been found between gender and the fulfillment of psychological needs (Gündoğdu and Yavuzer, 2012), happiness (Mehrdadi et al., 2016), or recreational benefits (Sahin and Yalcin, 2024). However, regardless of gender the high re-participation intention indicated that individuals’ desire to re-participate in recreational activities increased with the psychological benefits they obtained from these activities. These results were consistent with the studies reporting that recreational activities support not only physical health but also psychosocial well-being including life satisfaction, social adaptation, and strengthening of social support networks (Penedo and Dahn, 2005; Warburton et al., 2006; Alanoglu et al., 2020). In addition, such activities strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with stress and deepen their social relationships (Cohen and Wills, 1985; Keller and Blomann, 2008; Carbonneau et al., 2015; Beneton et al., 2017).
In the study, significant differences were found in the recreational flow and well-being according to the years of participation in recreational sports activities, except for the physical and mental health subscale. With long years of participation in sportive recreational activities, there is an increase in the re-participation intention due to the increase in flow level, life satisfaction, family flourishing and positive feelings. This situation is compatible with the results in the studies of Patten et al. (2013), Demirhan and Eskiler (2018) and Koç (2022) reporting that recreational activities enhance the quality of life of participants by providing social harmony and social commitment to them, rather than just providing physical benefits. In addition, continuous participation in recreational activities increases recovery (Tasiemski et al., 2006), in particular, long-term participation in sportive recreational activities develops healthy living habits and increases positive feelings (Spivey and Hritz, 2013). In addition, it is seen that the state of flow felt through participation in long-term recreational activities makes people satisfied with their lives (Chang, 2016). In addition, the state of flow has the potential to improve social relations (Heo et al., 2010). Recreational sports increase individuals’ happiness levels by being active in their social lives and improving their social characteristics (Kurniawan et al., 2022). In this context, it can be asserted that individuals intend not only to be healthy but also to strengthen their social ties and maintain a life in social harmony. In addition, continuous participation in recreational activities is decisive in experiencing a state of flow and developing social competence (Duman et al., 2022). Continuous participation in sportive recreational activities is an important factor in experiencing positive feelings such as a sense of flow, pleasure and satisfaction, and emotional relaxation such as reduced stress and anxiety (Decloe et al., 2009). Although the difficulty of the activity is a stressful factor in the flow experience, stress decreases with the experience of the flow state and happiness appears as a reflection of positive mood (Hamilton et al., 2019; Peifer et al., 2014).
Results showing that the frequency of participation in sports recreational activities was associated with the recreational flow, recreational well-being, and re-participation intentions of the participants also demonstrated that individuals who participated frequently preferred these activities primarily for the improvement of their life satisfaction and positive emotional states. This suggest that individuals consider recreational activities not only as a goal but also to maintain a healthy and happy life. In addition, it was found that the frequency of participation in recreational activities emphasized psychological benefits in participants rather than physical health. These results are compatible with studies highlighting those recreational activities improved individuals’ life satisfaction, strengthened their social ties, and contributed to social welfare (Solish et al., 2010; Wöran and Arnberger, 2012; Litwiller et al., 2017; Keskin and Bayram, 2018; Tian et al., 2022). Especially in participation in adventure recreational sports activities, the feeling of flow contributes to a high degree of happiness, self-discovery and continuity in the motivation to participate in the activity (Boudreau et al., 2020; Jackson et al., 2023). Participation in fitness activities for recreational purposes can also lead to re-participation in the activity by experiencing a sense of flow and satisfaction (Jeon et al., 2021; Doğan and Ünal, 2024).
The results (Tables 6–8) support the main motivation of the study, which confirmed the predictions of flow theory and recreational well-being theory. The main motivation of the study was to explain individuals’ re-participation intentions in recreational activities by associating the principles of Csikszentmihalyi's (1990) flow theory with the principles of recreational well-being theory developed by Pi et al. (2022) and adapted to Turkish by Koç (2022). Correlation and regression analyses showed that the enjoyment and well-being of individuals participating in recreational activities were positively associated with re-participation. This is parallel with previous studies suggesting that high intrinsic motivation and a sense of satisfaction encourage individuals to continue participating in activities (Kiili et al., 2012; Mao et al., 2016; Perttula et al., 2017; Ding and Hung, 2021; Kim, 2022; Uhm et al., 2022; Karakullukcu et al., 2025). Additionally, these results are consistent with other studies demonstrating that flow experience is significantly associated with well-being (Carpentier et al., 2012; Cheng and Lu, 2015; Moutinho et al., 2019; Tse et al., 2021; Ayhan and Alanoglu, 2023) and happiness (Collins et al., 2009; Sahoo and Sahu, 2009; Tsaur et al., 2013; Cho and Shin, 2020; Ayhan and Eskiler, 2024).
In the study, it was observed that recreational flow and well-being experiences strengthened the participants’ life satisfaction, family flourishing and positive feelings, thus leading to increase their motivation to participate in recreational sports activities. These results are also consistent with social support theory. According to the social support theory of Cohen and Wills (1985), social interactions improve the psychological resilience of individuals and enhance their quality of life. In particular, the flow experience, when a person fully immerses himself in an activity, provides high satisfaction and continuity of participation in these individuals, and is valuable in terms of strengthening social harmony and social ties (Keller and Blomann, 2008; Turan, 2019). The flow state, which reinforces positive emotions, has the potential to increase recreational benefit, motivation to participate in recreational activities, sense of freedom and intrinsic motivation (Hsu and Liu, 2020; Bum et al., 2022; Jackson et al., 2023).
Conclusion
This study contributes to the literature by evaluating the interaction of flow theory and recreational well-being with re-participation intention in a relational framework. The findings of this study demonstrate that flow experience and recreational well-being significantly enhance re-participation intentions among recreational sports participants. These results corroborate Hypotheses 1 and 2, confirming that recreational flow experience and well-being positively correlation re-participation intention (Table 9). Flow experience heightened intrinsic motivation, fostering greater enjoyment and satisfaction, thereby reinforcing participants’ propensity for future re-participation. Morever, recreational sport activities increased participants’ physical and psychological well-being and improved life satisfaction. The strengthening of family relationships and the increase in positive emotions in sportive recreational activity participation create an effect that supports the general welfare of the society. At this point, recreational sports have a positive relationship with individuals’ social cohesion and social welfare in addition to their physical and mental health. Long-term participation in recreational sports activities has a positive effect on recreational flow experience and re-participation intention. This situation contributes to the formation of individuals who practice recreational sports activities as a lifestyle, have high levels of well-being and recreational flow, and are continuous activity participants.
Table 9
| Hypothesis | Results |
|---|---|
| H1: There is a positive relationship between recreational flow experience, recreational well-being and re-participation intention. | Supported |
| H2: As recreational flow experience and recreational well-being increase, re-participation intention also increases. | Supported |
Hypothesis results.
Suggestions
Given the lower re-participation intention among female participants, policymakers and practitioners should diversify activity offerings and enhance accessibility to encourage women’s sustained engagement.
In the first years of participation in recreational sports, the level of recreational flow, recreational sport well-being and re-participation intention were observed to be low. It is recommended that activity practitioners should receive professional trainings from experts to ensure the highest efficiency from the activities.
Social well-being and happiness can be promoted by service providers, experts and relevant departments by facilitating community participation in activities and making recreational sports a way of life for the community.
Considering that recreational flow experience, well-being and re-participation intention increase as the frequency of participation in sportive recreational activities increases, it is recommended that education and support services should be provided to all segments of the society in order to make recreational sports a lifestyle of the society.
Considering the potential of recreational sports to increase positive emotions and social relations, organizing recreational sports organizations and ensuring the participation of individuals from all aspects of society reveals the potential to increase the number of social well-being and happy individuals.
Limitations
There are some limitations that should be considered when interpreting the results of this study. The study’s reliance on participants from a single geographic region and specific recreational settings may limit the generalizability of the results. Participants who actively practiced sportive recreation activities participated in the study. The absence of passive or disadvantaged recreational participants may limit the results of the study. In the study, data were collected through purposive sampling. Since this method usually focuses on a specific group selected according to the research purpose, it limits the generalizability of the results obtained to the whole population of sportive recreational activities. Furthermore, the correlational design of the study limits the ability to draw causal conclusions. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the causal relationships between flow experience, well-being, and re-participation intention.
Statements
Data availability statement
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.
Ethics statement
The studies involving humans were approved by Bingöl University Health Sciences Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Committee. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.
Author contributions
AB: Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. IY: Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Writing – original draft, Resources, Writing – review & editing. ES: Data curation, Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. NE: Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. L-GT: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Resources, Validation, Writing – review & editing, Investigation, Writing – original draft. T-MI: Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft.
Funding
The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article.
Acknowledgments
The abstract of this study was presented at the 16th National Sports Sciences Student Congress in Yalova/Türkiye on 22–24 May 2024.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Generative AI statement
The author(s) declare that no Gen AI was used in the creation of this manuscript.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
1
AbuhamdehS. (2020). Investigating the “flow” experience: key conceptual and operational issues. Front. Psychol.11, 1–13. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00158
2
AjzenI. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process.50, 179–211. doi: 10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
3
AkçakeseA.DemirelM.YolcuA. F.GümüşH.AyhanC.SarolH.et al. (2024). Nature relatedness, flow experience, and environmental behaviors in nature-based leisure activities. Front. Psychol.15:1397148. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1397148
4
Al AhmedM. I. A. (2024). The role of recreational sport activities in improving the quality of life for university students. Int. J. Hum. Mov. Sports Sci.12, 183–200. doi: 10.13189/saj.2024.120120
5
AlanogluS.IsıkÖ.AyhanC. (2020). The effect of regular recreational activities on adult women's stress, happiness, and life satisfaction levels. Prog. Nutr.22, 1–8. doi: 10.23751/pn.v22i2-S.10635
6
AvanS. K.KaraküçükS. (2024). Rekreasyonel hizmet kalitesi ve davranışsal niyet arasındaki ilişki içerisinde heyecan arayışının düzenleyici rolü. GSI J. Ser. A7, 92–110. doi: 10.53353/atrss.1345102
7
AyarH. (2017). Determining the interests and participation levels of university students to sportive recreation activities. Eur. J. Phys. Educ.3, 448–460. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1126659
8
AyhanC. (2022). Serbest zaman ilgilenimi, rekreasyonel akış deneyimi, rekreasyonel fayda ve serbest zaman tatmininin tekrar katılım niyeti üzerine etkisi. Sakarya: Sakarya Uygulamalı Bilimler Üniversitesi, Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü, Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Eğitimi Anabilim Dalı.
9
AyhanC.AlanogluŞ. (2023). The effect of recreational flow experience on mental well-being in fitness participants. J. Soc. Sci.6, 346–360. doi: 10.53047/josse.1371931
10
AyhanC.EskilerE. (2024). The relationship between leisure attitude and happiness: the mediating effect of recreational flow experience. Intjorass8, 117–125. doi: 10.46463/ijrss.1504810
11
AyhanC.EskilerE.SoyerF. (2020). Rekreasyonel katılımcılarda akış deneyiminin ölçülmesi: Ölçek geliştirme ve doğrulama. J. Hum. Sci.17, PDF–1311. doi: 10.14687/jhs.v17i4.6105
12
BayramA. (2022). Metaleisure: leisure time habits to be changed with metaverse. J. Metav.2, 1–7.
13
BedirF. (2023). Üç boyutlu bilgisayar oyunlarının rekreasyonel akış deneyimi ve serbest zamanda sıkılma algısı açısından incelenmesi. Gaunjss8, 270–279. doi: 10.31680/gaunjss.1345728
14
BenetonF.MichoudG.CoulangeM.LaineN.RamdaniC.BorgnettaM.et al. (2017). Recreational diving practice for stress management: an exploratory trial. Front. Psychol.8:2193. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02193
15
BoudreauP.MackenzieS. H.HodgeK. (2020). Flow states in adventure recreation: a systematic review and thematic synthesis. Psychol. Sport Exerc.46:101611. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.101611
16
BumC. H.YangJ. H.ChoiC. (2022). Leisure benefits, flow experience, and life satisfaction comparison between players of actual and virtual golf. Soc. Behav. Pers.50, 1–12. doi: 10.2224/sbp.11521
17
CarbonneauH.St-OngeM.MorierJ.RoultR.CantinR.BerthiaumeR. (2015). Quebec's recreation intervention model in health care and social services and its implications for the national council for therapeutic recreation certification's standards. World Leis. J.57, 6–18. doi: 10.1080/16078055.2014.1001172
18
CarpentierJ.MageauG. A.VallerandR. J. (2012). Ruminations and flow: why do people with a more harmonious passion experience higher well-being?J. Happiness Stud.13, 501–518. doi: 10.1007/s10902-011-9276-4
19
ChangH. H. (2016). Gender differences in leisure involvement and flow experience in professional extreme sport activities. World Leis. J.59, 124–139. doi: 10.1080/16078055.2016.1166152
20
ChatzisarantisN. L.HaggerM. S. (2007). The moral worth of sport reconsidered: contributions of recreational sport and competitive sport to life aspirations and psychological well-being. J. Sports Sci.25, 1047–1056. doi: 10.1080/02640410600959954
21
ChengT. M.LuC. C. (2015). The causal relationships among recreational involvement, flow experience, and well-being for surfing activities. Asia Pac. J. Tour. Res20, 1486–1504. doi: 10.1080/10941665.2014.999099
22
ChoC. K.ShinM. C. (2020). The effects of middle school students' participation motivation in judo as a recreational sport activity on exercise flow and psychological happiness. Korea Soc. Comput. Inform.25, 203–209. doi: 10.9708/jksci.2020.25.10.203
23
CohenS.WillsT. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychol. Bull.98, 310–357. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
24
CollinsA. L.SarkisianN.WinnerE. (2009). Flow and happiness in later life: an investigation into the role of daily and weekly flow experiences. J. Happiness Stud.10, 703–719. doi: 10.1007/s10902-008-9116-3
25
CsikszentmihalyiM. (1990). Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper & Row, 75–77.
26
CsikszentmihalyiM.HunterJ. (2003). Happiness in everyday life: the uses of experience sampling. J. Happiness Stud.4, 185–199. doi: 10.1023/A:1024409732742
27
CsikszentmihalyiM.LeFevreJ. (1989). Optimal experience in work and leisure. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol.56, 815–822. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.56.5.815
28
DecloeM. D.KaczynskiA. T.HavitzM. E. (2009). Social participation, flow and situational involvement in recreational physical activity. J. Leis. Res.41, 73–91. doi: 10.1080/00222216.2009.11950160
29
DemirhanO.EskilerE. (2018). Investigation of the relationship among fantasy football participation motivation, consumer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Turk. J. Sport Exer.20, 338–343. doi: 10.15314/tsed.463411
30
DingH. M.HungK. P. (2021). The antecedents of visitors' flow experience and its influence on memory and behavioral intentions in the music festival context. J. Destin. Mark. Manag.19, 100551–100511. doi: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2020.100551
31
DoğanM.ÜnalY. B. (2024). The relationship between leisure involvement, flow experience, and life satisfaction levels of fitness center members. J. Educ. Rec. Patter.5, 85–99. doi: 10.53016/jerp.v5i1.229
32
DumanS.YurtdaşŞ. Ş.OrduB. (2022). Sosyal yeterlik ve rekreasyonel katılım, akış deneyiminin belirleyicileri midir?Adusobed9, 157–172. doi: 10.30803/adusobed.1213576
33
DurhanT. A.KaraküçükS. (2020). Ecorecreational attitude of participants in sportive recreation activities. Eur. J. Phys. Educ.6, 80–81. doi: 10.46827/ejpe.v6i7.3329
34
FiloK.ChenN.KingC.FunkD. C. (2013). Sport tourists’ ınvolvement with a destination: a stage-based examination. J. Hosp. Tour. Res.37, 100–124. doi: 10.1177/1096348011425496
35
FullagarC. J.KnightP. A.SovernH. S. (2013). Challenge/skill balance, flow, and performance anxiety. Appl. Psychol.62, 236–259. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-0597.2012.00494.x
36
GumusH.RamosW. D.MillerA. M. (2021). Access pass: validating the scale of barriers to participation in recreational spaces. J. Park. Recreat. Adm.6:12256. doi: 10.18666/JPRA-2024-12256
37
GümüşayM.KoçM. C.TurhanM. (2023). Kick boks sporcularının rekreasyonel spor iyi oluş düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Ulusl. Spor Bilim. Öğr. Çalışm.5, 46–59.
38
GündoğduR.YavuzerY. (2012). Öğretmen adaylarının öznel iyi oluş ve psikolojik ihtiyaçlarının demografik değişkenlere göre incelenmesi. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Univ. Eğit. Fak. Derg.1, 115–131.
39
HamiltonA. K.PerníaD. M.WilsonC. P.Dell’AquilaD. C. (2019). What makes metalheads happy? A phenomenological analysis of flow experiences in metal musicians. Qual. Res. Psychol.16, 537–565. doi: 10.1080/14780887.2017.1416210
40
HeoJ.LeeY.PedersenP. M.McCormickB. P. (2010). Flow experience in the daily lives of older adults: an analysis of the interaction between flow, individual differences, serious leisure, location, and social context. Can. J. Aging29, 411–423. doi: 10.1017/S0714980810000395
41
HsuS. C.LiuL. W. (2020). The relationship between serious leisure, flow experience, leisure benefit and quality of life of yoga. Afr. J. Hosp. Tour. Leis.1, 1–10.
42
JacksonS. A.EklundR. C.GordonA.NorsworthyC.MackenzieS. H.HodgeK.et al. (2023). Flow and outdoor adventure recreation: using flow measures to re-examine motives for participation. Psychol. Sport Exerc.67:102427. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102427
43
JeonY.KimD.HanS.HuangY.KimJ. (2021). How does service environment enhance consumer loyalty in the sport fitness industry? The role of servicescape, cosumption motivation, emotional and flow experiences. Sustain. For.13:6414. doi: 10.3390/su13116414
44
JoshiU. (2010). Subjective well-being by gender. J. Econ. Behav. Stud.1, 20–26. doi: 10.22610/jebs.v1i1.211
45
KarakullukcuO. F.AyhanC.KalkanT.OkudanB.TalaghirL.-G.IconomescuT. M. (2025). Re-participation intention in individuals playing tennis for recreational purposes: investigation of differences based on low and high involvement. Front. Psychol.16:1546405. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1546405
46
KellerJ.BlomannF. (2008). Locus of control and the flow experience: an experimental analysis. Eur. J. Personal.22, 589–607. doi: 10.1002/per.692
47
KenefickR. W.CheuvrontS. N. (2012). Hydration for recreational sport and physical activity. Nutr. Rev.70, S137–S142. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2012.00523.x
48
KeskinU.BayramA. (2018). Rekreatif aktivitelerin tüketim ürünleri sınıflandırması bağlamında değerlendirilmesi. Sportif Bakış5, 1–13. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.23408.58880
49
KiiliK.De FreitasS.ArnabS.LainemaT. (2012). The design principles for flow experience in educational games. Procedia Comput. Sci.15, 78–91. doi: 10.1016/j.procs.2012.10.060
50
KimM. (2022). How can I be as attractive as a fitness youtuber in the era of COVID-19? The impact of digital attributes on flow experience, satisfaction, and behavioral intention. J. Retail. Consum. Serv.64:102778. doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102778
51
KoçM. C. (2022). Rekreasyonel spor iyi oluş ölçeği (rsioö) Türkçe versiyonu: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. J. Recreat. Tour. Res.9, 86–97. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7494871
52
KoçK.ArslanH.YüceM. S.ÖztürkA. T. (2024). Rekreasyonel maraton katılımcılarının mutluluk, psikolojik iyi oluş ve yaşam tatmini ilişkileri: Demografik değişkenlerin rolü. JSAR6, 530–537. doi: 10.56639/jsar.1575038
53
KöksalZ.TopkayaN.ŞahinE. (2023). Üniversite öğrencilerinde cinsiyet, psikolojik kirilganlik ve öz şefkatin psikolojik iyi oluş ile ilişkisinin incelenmesi. Esosder22, 1309–1324. doi: 10.17755/esosder.1223885
54
KorerE.AlpulluA. (2020). Racketlon sporcularının akış kuramı boyutunda farklılıkların incelenmesi. Spor Eğitim Dergisi4, 97–105.
55
KurniawanR.SrijaroonA.MousaviS. H. (2022). Exploring the benefits of recreational sports: promoting health, wellness, and community engagement. J. Eval. Educ.3, 135–140. doi: 10.37251/jee.v3i4.932
56
LiZ.GeY.SuZ.HuangX. (2020). Audience leisure involvement, satisfaction and behavior intention at the Macau science Centre. Electron. Libr.38, 383–401. doi: 10.1108/EL-07-2019-0176
57
LitwillerF.WhiteC.GallantK. A.GilbertR.HutchinsonS.Hamilton-HinchB.et al. (2017). The benefits of recreation for the recovery and social inclusion of individuals with mental illness: an integrative review. Leis. Sci.39, 1–19. doi: 10.1080/01490400.2015.1120168
58
LowerL. M.TurnerB. A.PetersenJ. C. (2013). A comparative analysis of perceived benefits of participation between recreational sport programs. Recreat. Sports J.37, 66–83. doi: 10.1123/rsj.37.1.66
59
MaS. C.KaplanidouK. (2021). Effects of event service quality on the quality of life and behavioral intentions of recreational runners. Leis. Sci.44, 1–21. doi: 10.1080/01490400.2018.1448028
60
MaoY.RobertsS.PagliaroS.CsikszentmihalyiM.BonaiutoM. (2016). Optimal experience and optimal identity: a multinational study of the associations between flow and social identity. Front. Psychol.7, 1–13. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00067
61
Marty-DugasJ.HowesL.SmilekD. (2021). Sustained attention and the experience of flow. Psychol. Res.85, 2682–2696. doi: 10.1007/s00426-020-01433-x
62
MehrdadiA.SadeghianS.Direkvand-MoghadamA.HashemianA. (2016). Factors affecting happiness: a cross-sectional study in the Iranian youth. J. Clin. Diagn. Res.10, VC01–VC03. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2016/17970.7729
63
MonetaG. B. (2004). The flow experience across cultures. J. Happiness Stud.5, 115–121. doi: 10.1023/B:JOHS.0000035913.65762.b5
64
Mouelhi-GuizaniS.GuinoubiS.ChtaraM.CrespoM. (2023). Relationships between flow state and motivation in junior elite tennis players: differences by gender. Int. J. Sports Sci. Coach.18, 490–499. doi: 10.1177/17479541221082990
65
MoutinhoH. A.MonteiroA.CostaA.FariaL. (2019). The role of emotional intelligence, happiness and flow on academic achievement and subjective well-being in the university context. Rev. Iberoam. Diagn. Eval. Psicol.52, 99–114. doi: 10.21865/RIDEP52.3.08
66
MutzM.ReimersA. K.DemetriouY. (2021). Leisure time sports activities and life satisfaction: deeper insights based on a representative survey from Germany. Appl. Res. Qual. Life16, 2155–2171. doi: 10.1007/s11482-020-09866-7
67
OrhunB.GülcanB. (2022). Turizm ve rekreasyonda csikszentmihalyi’nin akış teorisi’nin bibliyometrik analizi. J. Gastron. Hosp. Travel5, 959–970. doi: 10.33083/joghat.2022.178
68
OttigerB.Van WegenE.KellerK.NefT.NyffelerT.KwakkelG.et al. (2021). Getting into a “flow” state: a systematic review of flow experience in neurological diseases. J. Neuro. Engineering Rehabil.18, 1–21. doi: 10.1186/s12984-021-00864-w
69
PattenS. B.WilliamsJ. V. A.LavoratoD. H.BullochA. G. M. (2013). Recreational physical activity ameliorates some of the negative impact of major depression on health-related quality of life. Front. Psych.4, 1–5. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00022
70
PeiferC.SchulzA.SchächingerH.BaumannN.AntoniC. H. (2014). The relation of flow-experience and physiological arousal under stress—can u shape it?J. Exp. Soc. Psychol.53, 62–69. doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2014.01.009
71
PenedoF. J.DahnJ. R. (2005). Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Curr. Opin. Psychiatry18, 189–193. doi: 10.1097/00001504-200503000-00013
72
PerttulaA.KiiliK.LindstedtA.TuomiP. (2017). Flow experience in game based learning–a systematic literature review. Int. J. Serious Games4, 57–72. doi: 10.17083/ijsg.v4i1.151
73
PiL. L.ChangC. M.LinH. H. (2022). Development and validation of recreational sport well-being scale. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health19:8764. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148764
74
ReedK. B.Hemmings-JarrettK.ElangovanS. (2025). Negotiating equitable metaleisure participation: developing a theoretical framework for gen Z's constraint navigation in the metaverse. World Leis. J.6, 1–20. doi: 10.1080/16078055.2025.2468925
75
RhaI.WilliamsM. D.HeoG. (2005). Optimal flow experience in web-based instruction. Asia Pac. Educ. Rev.6, 50–58. doi: 10.1007/BF03024967
76
SahinE.YalcinI. (2024). Examining the relationship between the perceived benefit and life engagement of individuals participating in sportive recreational activities. J. Phys. Educ. Sport.24, 2179–2186. doi: 10.7752/jpes.2024.12317
77
SahooF. M.SahuR. (2009). The role of flow experience in human happiness. J. Indian Acad. Appl. Psychol.35, 40–47.
78
ŞimşekK. Y. (2011). Ekstrem spor tüketim güdülerinin Türkiye'deki ekstrem spor katılımcılarının algıladıkları değere, algıladıkları tatmine ve davranışsal niyetlerine etkisi. Eskişehir: Anadolu Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü.
79
SolishA.PerryA.MinnesP. (2010). Participation of children with and without disabilities in social, recreational and leisure activities. J. Appl. Res. Intellect. Disabil.23, 226–236. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2009.00525.x
80
SpiveyL. M.HritzN. M. (2013). A longitudinal study of recreational sport participation and constraints. Recreat. Sports J.37, 14–28. doi: 10.1123/rsj.37.1.14
81
StavrouN. A.JacksonS. A.ZervasY.KarteroliotisK. (2007). Flow experience and athletes’ performance with reference to the orthogonal model of flow. Sport Psychol.21, 438–457. doi: 10.1123/tsp.21.4.438
82
StensengF.ForestJ.CurranT. (2015). Positive emotions in recreational sport activities: the role of passion and belongingness. J. Happiness Stud.16, 1117–1129. doi: 10.1007/s10902-014-9547-y
83
TabachnickB. G.FidellL. S.UllmanJ. B. (2007). Using multivariate statistics. Boston: Pearson.
84
TasiemskiT.KennedyP.GardnerB. P. (2006). Examining the continuity of recreation engagement in individuals with spinal cord injuries. Ther. Recreat. J.40, 77–93.
85
TianH.ZhouW.QiuY.ZouZ. (2022). The role of recreation specialization and self-efficacy on life satisfaction: the mediating effect of flow experience. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health19:3243. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063243
86
TsaurS. H.YenC. H.HsiaoS. L. (2013). Transcendent experience, flow and happiness for mountain climbers. J. Contemp. Tour. Res.15, 360–374. doi: 10.1002/jtr.1881
87
TseD. C.NakamuraJ.CsikszentmihalyiM. (2021). Living well by “flowing”well: the indirect effect of autotelic personality on well-being through flow experience. J. Posit. Psychol.16, 310–321. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1716055
88
TuranN. (2019). Akış deneyimi üzerine genel bir literatür taraması. Pamukkale Üni. Sosyal Bilimler Enst. Derg.37, 181–199. doi: 10.30794/pausbed.562564
89
UhmJ. P.KimS.LeeH. W. (2022). Stimulating suspense in gamified virtual reality sports: effect on flow, fun, and behavioral intention. Int. J. Hum. Comput.39, 3846–3858. doi: 10.1080/10447318.2022.2107782
90
UralA.Kılıçİ. (2006). Bilimsel araştırma süreci ve spss ile veri analizi. Ankara: Detay Yayıncılık.
91
VoiskounskyA. E.MitinaO. V.AvetisovaA. A. (2004). Playing online games: flow experience. J. Psychol.2, 259–281.
92
WarburtonD. E.NicolC. W.BredinS. S. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ174, 801–809. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.051351
93
WolskoC.LindbergK.ReeseR. (2019). Nature-based physical recreation leads to psychological well-being: evidence from five studies. Ecopsychology11, 222–235. doi: 10.1089/eco.2018.0076
94
WöranB.ArnbergerA. (2012). Exploring relationships between recreation specialization, restorative environments and mountain hikers’ flow experience. Leis. Sci.34, 95–114. doi: 10.1080/01490400.2012.652502
95
Yalçınİ.AyhanC. (2020). Sportif rekreasyonel etkinliklere katılan kadınlarda fiziksel görünüş mükemmelliyetçiliği ve psikolojik iyi oluşun öz güven üzerine etkisi. Spormetre18, 205–212. doi: 10.33689/spormetre.625218
96
YapıcıE. C.AlpulluA.OtayY.AkY. E.MametkulyyevY.DoğanP. K. (2022). Serbest etkinliklere katılan bireylerin akış deneyimlerinin incelenmesi. İnönü Üniv. Beden Eğit. ve Spor Bilimleri Derg.9, 36–49.
97
ZhangR.Abd RahmanA. (2022). Dive in the flow experience: millennials’ tech-savvy, satisfaction and loyalty in the smart museum. Curr. Issues Tour.25, 3694–3708. doi: 10.1080/13683500.2022.2070459
Summary
Keywords
sportive recreation, flow experience, well-being, behavioral intention, mental health
Citation
Bayram A, Yalcin I, Sahin E, Ekinci NE, Talaghir L-G and Iconomescu T-M (2025) The role of recreational flow experience and well-being on re-participation intention: recreational sport participants. Front. Psychol. 16:1574337. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1574337
Received
10 February 2025
Accepted
15 April 2025
Published
29 April 2025
Volume
16 - 2025
Edited by
Tamás Berki, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Hungary
Reviewed by
Biljana Popeska, Goce Delcev University, North Macedonia
Muhamad Noor Mohamed, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
Cihan Önen, Bitlis Eren University, Türkiye
Updates
Copyright
© 2025 Bayram, Yalcin, Sahin, Ekinci, Talaghir and Iconomescu.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Ilimdar Yalcin, ilimdaryalcin@bingol.edu.tr; Laurentiu-Gabriel Talaghir, gabriel.talaghir@ugal.ro
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.