ERIC Number: EJ1412209
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1937-156X
EISSN: EISSN-2162-4097
Building Sense of Belonging through Informal Recreation Participation
Schole: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, v39 n1 p18-31 2024
Sense of belonging among undergraduate college students improves the likelihood of retention and graduation, along with the overall association with positive mental health and well-being. College students build a sense of belonging with their peers through various forms of involvement opportunities, including informal campus recreation activities. This qualitative study investigated the relationship between sense of belonging and participation in informal recreation activities among 18 undergraduate college students. Findings from semi-structured interviews indicate that participation in informal recreation helped participants to create, build, and maintain friendships, and improved participants' sense of belonging. Recommendations for practice include facilitating greater participant interaction among peers and faculty with similar recreational interests, utilizing existing facilities to incorporate informal activities, and increasing and centralizing various campus services.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Group Membership, Interpersonal Relationship, Recreational Activities, Informal Education, Friendship, Interpersonal Competence, Student Participation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A