COVID-19 Risk Perception, Stress-coping, and Life Satisfaction Differences in Leisure Involvement among Korean Immigrants in the United States

Objectives: COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on everyone's life, and Asian immigrants, including Korean immigrants, were one of the most vulnerable groups during this period. Prior studies have reported that leisure participation can be used as an effective strategy to cope with stressful and traumatic life experiences and promote improved health and well-being. Methods: In this study, 237 Korean immigrants living in the United States were asked to complete an online survey to explore the differences in COVID-19 risk perception, stress-coping, and health due to leisure involvement levels. Results: The results showed that the Highly Active Leisure Group (HALG) demonstrated significantly lower stress perception and higher levels of life satisfaction compared to the Moderately Active Leisure Group (MALG) and the Less Active Leisure Group (LALG). However, we found no statistically significant differences in COVID-19 risk perception and resiliency between the groups. Conclusions: This research highlights the importance of active leisure participation in coping with stressors related to traumatic life events such as pandemics. To encourage active leisure involvement among ethnic minorities, such as Korean immigrants, recreation and sports professionals and local community leaders should strive to design and develop more culturally appropriate programs that incorporate activities associated with Asian cultures.