Exploring the Relationship among Leisure Constraints and Involvement in Recreational Sport activities of Higher Education Students

The aim of this study was a) to investigate the constraints of participation in recreational sports activities and to examine the relationship between leisure constraints and involvement with exercise. Four hundred and forty one (N=441) students from eleven faculties of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki participated in this study. The participants completed the Leisure Constraints Scale (Alexandris & Carroll,1997) and the Leisure Involvement Scale (Kyle et. Al.,2003). The results indicated that 64,6% of participants participated in sport activities, while 35,4% did not exercise at all. The most important constraint dimension was lack of time (MD=3,11, SD=0,88), followed by lack of accessibility (MD=3,00, SD=0,89) and lack of facilities (MD=2,73, SD=0,89). In terms of the involvement, the dimension of attractiveness was the most highly scored one (MD=3,60, SD=0,94). In terms of the relationship between leisure constraints and involvement, lack of interest and individual/psychological reasons negatively influenced attractiveness, while lack of interest also negatively centrality and self-expression. The results of this study have several practical applications for the managers of Universities of Physical Education and Sports.