The mediating role of mental endurance in the impact of leisure participation on life satisfaction

Abstract

Participation in leisure activities is a multidimensional process shaped by individuals’ positive attitudes, their belief in the meaningfulness of such activities, and their sustained involvement. Mental endurance refers to the ability to cope with challenges arising from the stressful and competitive nature of daily life and is generally stronger among individuals who are extroverted, social, self-confident, and experience low anxiety. Life satisfaction represents a general sense of well-being and contentment based on personal values and expectations. This study investigates how participation in leisure activities affects life satisfaction and examines the mediating role of mental endurance in this relationship. Focusing on skiing as a leisure activity, the research analyzes how participation influences emotional and cognitive well-being through mental endurance. Data were collected from 300 individuals participating in skiing at Palandöken Ski Resort using a convenience sampling method and were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that mental endurance mediates the relationship between leisure participation and life satisfaction. To evaluate the model’s explanatory power, R² values were examined. The R² for the life satisfaction construct was 0.389, indicating that the model explains 38.9% of the variance, representing a moderate level of explanatory strength. The mental endurance construct showed an R² value of 0.577, indicating a high explanatory level (57%). Overall, the results suggest that strengthening individuals’ mental endurance enhances life satisfaction and positively contributes to psychological well-being and the ability to manage life challenges.