HomeInternational Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Researchvol. 6 no. 10 (2025)

Filipino Libang: University Student’s Leisure Ecology

Danielle Naomi Uy

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This mixed-methods study defined the leisure ecology of Filipino univer-sity students through exploration of their leisure motivation, leisure sat-isfaction, and happiness through their leisure pursuits. Data were col-lected using surveys, while quantitative analysis utilized Factor Analysis to define motivation and satisfaction factors alongside a standardized happiness measure. Factor analysis revealed that the students’ leisure ecology is primarily oriented toward competence, relaxation, and the cul-tural pursuit of ligaya (deep, lasting happiness). Despite high leisure mo-tivation and leisure satisfaction being significantly correlated (r>0.60), their correlation with the standardized happiness measure was low (r=0.20), suggesting ligaya is gained through distinct, culturally embed-ded pathways, while significant gender differences emerged in specific motivational and satisfaction factors (p<0.05). This study also identified specific cultural components such as libang (soulful easing through care-free amusement), kapwa (shared inner self), and barkada (chosen peer circle) as profound mechanics of this unique leisure ecology. These find-ings underscore the local culture’s influence on leisure, giving insights for cultivating well-being among Filipino university students.



References:

  1. Akın U (2015) Do School Experiences Predict Life Satisfaction in Turkish College Students? International Online Journal of Educational Sciences. 7. 87-96. 10.15345/iojes.2015.01.008 https://tinyurl.com/yc8cd77p
  2. Alexandris K, Carroll B (1997) An analysis of leisure constraints based on different recreational sport participation levels: Results from a study in Greece. Leisure Sciences, 19(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/014904097095 12236
  3. Argan M, Argan M T, Dursun M T, (2018) Examining Relationships Among Well-being, Leisure Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction, and Happiness. International Journal of Medical Research & Health Sciences, vol.7, no.4, 49-59. https://tinyurl.com/5t4fz3vc
  4. Bailey A, Kang H, Schmidt C (2016) Leisure Routine and Positive Attitudes: AgeGraded Comparisons of the Path to Happiness. Journal of Leisure Research. 48. 10.18666/JLR-2016-V48-I3-6336. https://tinyurl.com/9du6tkpn
  5. Bautista VV (2011) Gaan at gana sa buhay: Sikolohiya ng sarap, ligaya at ginhawa sa pananaw ng sikolohiyang pangklinika. In J. A. R. Cantiller & J. A. Yacat (Eds.), ISIP: Mga Kaisipan sa Sikolohiya, Kultura at Lipunang Pilipino. 1:15-44. Pambansang Samahan ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino. https://tinyurl.com/yek3bprb
  6. Beard J, Ragheb M (1980) Measuring Leisure Satisfaction. Journal of Leisure Research, 12(1), 20–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.198 0.11969416
  7. Beard, J, Ragheb, M (1983) Measuring Leisure Motivation. Journal of Leisure Research, 15(3), 219–228. DN Uy, 2025 / Filipino Libang IJMABER 5228 Volume 6 | Number 10 | October | 2025 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1984- 19384-001
  8.  Belarmino M, Roberts M R (2019) Japanese Gender Role Expectations and Attitudes: A Qualitative Analysis of Gender Inequality. Journal of international women's studies, 20, 272-288. https://tinyurl.com/3ebz2tkd
  9. Bell D R (2016) Learning, Play, and Creativity: Asobi, Suzuki Harunobu, and the Creative Practice. Journal of Aesthetic Education 1 December 2016; 50 (4): 86–113. https://doi.org/10.5406/jaesteduc.50.4. 0086
  10. Bronfenbrenner U (1979) The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  11. Busari A (2012) Identifying difference in perceptions of academic stress and reaction to stressors. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. 2. 138-146. https://tinyurl.com/2k2khwmm
  12. Caldwell L, Smith E, Weissenger E (1992) The Relationship of Leisure Activities and Perceived Health of College Students. Loisir et Société / Society and Leisure, 15(2), 545– 556. https://doi.org/10.1080/07053436.199 2.10715431
  13.  Chan Sun M, Azmutally K (2013) Leisure-Time Physical Activity among University Students in Mauritius. American Journal of Health Research. 10.11648/j.ajhr.20130101.11
  14. Chen Y, Li R, Chen S (2011) Relationships Among Adolescents’ Leisure Motivation, Leisure Involvement, and Leisure Satisfaction: A Structural Equation Model. Soc Indic Res 110, 1187–1199 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011- 9979-2
  15.  Chen Y, Tsuchiya H (2016) A Cross-National Study of Daily Life Skills between University Students in China and Japan: Development of a Chinese Version of the Daily Life Skills Scale. Journal of Japan Society of Sports Industry, 26, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5997/sposun.26.1_1
  16. Cheng P S, Stier W F, Kim C, Xu B, Tokyo EK (2004) A Comparison of Recreational Sports and Leisure Time Participation of College/University Students in China, Japan, Korea, Iran, the United States, and Canada—with Students in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Recreational Sports Journal, 28(2), 60-75. https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.28.2.60
  17. Chick G (1998) Leisure and culture: Issues for an anthropology of leisure. Leisure Sciences, 20(2), 111–133. https://doi.org/10.1080/014904098095 12269 Church A T, Katigbak M S (2000) Trait Psychology in the Philippines. American Behavioral Scientist, 44(1), 73-94. https://doi.org/10.1177/000276400219 56107
  18. de Botton A, The School of Life (2015, November 11) The importance of emotional education [Video]. https://tinyurl.com/hxsebkjf
  19. Diener E, Diener M, Diener C (1995) Factors predicting the subjective well-being of nations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(5), 851–864. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022- 3514.69.5.851
  20.  Doyon P (2001) A review of higher education reform in modern Japan. Higher Education. 41:443-470. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017502308 832
  21.  Enriquez VG (1986) Kapwa: A Core Concept in Filipino Social Psychology. In V. Enriquez (Ed.), Philippine Worldview (pp. 6-19). Singapore: ISEAS Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1355/978981437902 1-005
  22. Enriquez V, Javier J, Sales G, Filio A (1989) Sikolohiya ng libangan. Akademya ng Sikolohiyang Pilipino, Philippine Psychology Research and Training House. https://tuklas.up.edu.ph/Record/UP1685594773861513218
  23. Erinjeri M, Lobo L (2023) The Impact of Leisure Time Activities on the Academic Performance among College Students. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology. 11. 497-504. 10.22214/ijraset.2023.48600. https://tinyurl.com/2s396tfm DN Uy, 2025 / Filipino Libang IJMABER 5229 Volume 6 | Number 10 | October | 2025
  24. Fairbrother K, Warn J (2003) Workplace dimensions, stress and job satisfaction. Journal of Managerial Psychology 1 February 2003; 18 (1): 8–21. https://doi.org/10.1108/026839403104 59565
  25.  Fuess S M (2006) Leisure Time in Japan: How Much and for Whom?. IZA Discussion Paper No. 2002. https://ssrn.com/abstract=890279
  26. Fehmi C, Mahmut G, Kürşad S, Ihsan S, Erdi K (2014) Analysis and examination of the relationship between leisure motivation and academic motivation of students of schools of physical education and sports. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 14. 127-133 DOI:10.7752/jpes.2014.01020 https://rb.gy/6fad7p
  27. Guruprasad V, Banumathe K, Sinu E (2012) Leisure and Its Impact on Well Being in School Children. International Journal of Scientific Research. Volume 1 Issue 5, Oct 2012, ISSN 2277-8179 https://tinyurl.com/5fvujk7b
  28. Haase A, Steptoe A, Sallis J F, Wardle J (2004) Leisure-time physical activity in university students from 23 countries: associations with health beliefs, risk awareness, and national economic development. Preventive Medicine, 39, 1, 2004, 182-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.01.028.
  29. Hanai T (2016) How Japanese university students spend leisure time: Relationship between leisure time and life satisfaction. Journal of Global Tourism Research. 1: DOI: https://tinyurl.com/58h9vpdv
  30. Hanai T (2016) How Japanese university students spend leisure time: Relationship between leisure time and life satisfaction. Journal of Global Tourism Research, 2016, Volume 1, Issue 2, Pages 121-126, https://doi.org/10.37020/jgtr.1.2_121
  31.  Hills P, Argyle M (2002) The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire: a compact scale for the measurement of psychological well-being, Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 33, Issue 7, 2002, Pages 1073- 1082. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191- 8869(01)00213-6-\\\\\\56
  32. Huang C Y, Carleton B (2003) The relationships among leisure participation, leisure satisfaction, and life satisfaction of college students in Taiwan. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness. 1:129-132 https://tinyurl.com/3xkecwxx
  33. Ito E, Walker G (2014) Similarities and differences in leisure conceptualizations between Japan and Canada and between two Japanese leisure-like terms. Leisure/Loisir. 38:1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/14927713.201 4.880613
  34.  Ito E, Walker G, Mitas O, Liu H, (2019) Cultural similarities and differences in the relationship between types of leisure activity and happiness in Canadian, Chinese, and Japanese university students. World Leisure Journal, 61(1), 30–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/16078055.201 8.1535449
  35. Jordan K, Gagnon R, Anderson D, Pilcher J (2018) Enhancing the College Student Experience: Outcomes of a Leisure Education Program. Journal of Experiential Education, 41(1), 90-106. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382591775 1508
  36.  Juniu S (2009) The transformation of leisure. Leisure/Loisir, 33(2), 463–478. https://doi.org/10.1080/14927713.200 9.9651449
  37. Kaya S (2016) The Relationship between Leisure Satisfaction and Happiness among College Students. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(3), 622 - 631. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2016.040322
  38. Khan M, Altaf S, Kausar H (2013) Effect of Perceived Academic Stress on Students’ Performance. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, Winter 2013. 7:146-151. https://tinyurl.com/32wmwzzx
  39. Kim J, Brown S L, Yang H (2018) Types of leisure, leisure motivation, and well-being in university students. World Leisure Journal, 61(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/16078055.201 8.1545691
  40.  Lu L, Hu C H (2005) Personality, Leisure Experiences and Happiness. J Happiness Stud 6, 325–342 . DN Uy, 2025 / Filipino Libang IJMABER 5230 Volume 6 | Number 10 | October | 2025 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-005- 8628-3
  41. Malolos G, Baron M B, Apat F A, Sagsagat H A, Pasco P B, Aportadera E T C, Tan R J, Gacutno-Evardone A J, & Lucero-Prisno III D E (2021) Mental health and well-being of children in the Philippine setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Promotion Perspectives, 11(3), 267–270. https://doi.org/10.34172/hpp.2021.34
  42. Manfredo M, Driver B,Tarrant M (1996) Measuring Leisure Motivation: A Meta-Analysis of the Recreation Experience Preference Scales. Journal of Leisure Research, 28(3), 188–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.199 6.11949770
  43.  McIntyre N & Pigram J (1992) Recreation specialization reexamined: The case of vehicle-based campers. Leisure Sciences, 14(1), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/014904092095 13153
  44. Müller B, Kropp P, Cardona M.I. et al. (2021) Types of leisure time physical activities (LTPA) of community-dwelling persons who have been screened positive for dementia. BMC Geriatr 21, 270. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021- 02201-1
  45.  Pascarella E T, Terenzini P T (2005) How College Affects Students, Volume 2, A Third Decade of Research. Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0-787-91044-0
  46. Pe-Pua R, Protacio-Marcelino E (2002) Sikolohiyang Pilipino: Pamana ni Virgilio G. Enriquez. Binhi. 1:1-40. https://tinyurl.com/54xpc2pk
  47.  Petras J (2013) Ang pagsasakatutubo mula sa loob/kultural na pagpapatibay ng mga salitang pandamdaming tumutukoy sa ‘sayá’: Isang semantikal na elaborasyon ng wikang Filipino sa larangan ng sikolohiya. Humanities Diliman. 10:56-84. https://tuklas.up.edu.ph/Record/IPP00000147841
  48. Purrington A, Hickerson B (2013) Leisure as a cross-cultural concept. World Leisure Journal, 55(2), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/04419057.201 3.782564
  49.  Ragheb M, Tate R (1993) A behavioural model of leisure participation, based on leisure attitude, motivation and satisfaction. Leisure Studies, 12(1), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/026143693003 90051
  50. Resnicow K, Davis M, Smith M, Lazarus-Yaroch A, Baranowski T, Baranowski J, Wang D T (1998) How best to measure implementation of school health curricula: A comparison of three measures. Health Education Research. 13:239-250. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/13.2.239
  51. Reyes J A. (2016) Exploring Leisure Time Activities and Sociodemographic Indicators of Subjective Happiness and Self-Perceived Health Among Filipinos. Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies. 9. 269-288. https://doi.org/10.14764/10.ASEAS2016.2-6
  52. Riddoch C, Mattocks C, Deere K, Saunders J, Kirkby J, Tilling K, Leary S, Blair, S, & Ness A (2007) Objective measurement of levels and patterns of physical activity. Archives of disease in childhood, 92(11), 963–969. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.1121 36
  53.  Rizal H, Hajar M, Kuan G (2019) School-based physical activity intervention in Southeast-Asia: A systematic review. International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences. 6. 1-21. https://tinyurl.com/2rdducab
  54.  Robinson J, Godbey G (1999) Time for life: The surprising ways Americans use their time. The Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN-13: 978-0271016528
  55. Scott D, Willits FK (1989) and adult leisure patterns: A 37-year follow-up study. Leisure Sciences, 11(4), 323–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/014904089095 12230
  56. Seligman M (2002) Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realise Your Potential For Lasting Fulfilment. Free Press. ISBN-13: 978-0743222983
  57. Shin D, Johnson D (1978) Avowed happiness as an overall assessment of the quality of life. Social Indicators Research 5, 475–492 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00352944 DN Uy, 2025 / Filipino Libang IJMABER 5231 Volume 6 | Number 10 | October | 2025
  58. Sugihara Y, Katsurada E (2002) Gender-Role Personality Traits in Japanese Culture. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24(4), 309-318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471- 6402.2000.tb00213.x
  59. Teuber M, Leyhr D, Sudeck G (2024) Physical activity improves stress load, recovery, and academic performance-related parameters among university students: a longitudinal study on daily level. BMC
  60. Public Health 24, 598 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024- 18082-z
  61.  Torres A T (2002) gender Imagery in Philippine Psychology: A Critique of the Literature. Philippine Journal of Psychology, 35(1 and 2). https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=1379
  62. Tov W, Diener E (2009) Culture and Subjective Well-Being. In: Diener, E. (eds) Culture and Well-Being. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 38. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481- 2352-0_2
  63. Toyoshima M, Kaneko Y, Motohashi Y (2016) Leisure-time activities and psychological distress in a suburban community in Japan. Preventive Medicine Reports. 4:1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.0 4.007
  64. Trenberth L (2005) The role, nature and purpose of leisure and its contribution to individual development and well-being. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 33(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/030698804123 31335849
  65.  Tylor E B (1879) On the Game of Patolli in Ancient Mexico, and Its Probably Asiatic Origin. The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 1872-1906 (Vol. 1 - Vol. 36). ISSN:09595295
  66. Valledor-Lukey V V (2012) "Pagkababae at Pagkalalake (Femininity and Masculinity): Developing a Filipino Gender Trait Inventory and predicting self-esteem and sexism" (2012). Child and Family Studies - Dissertations. 66. https://surface.syr.edu/cfs_etd/66
  67. Wang F, Orpana HM, Morrison H, de Groh M, Dai S, Luo W (2012) Long-term Association Between Leisure-time Physical Activity and Changes in Happiness: Analysis of the Prospective National Population Health Survey, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 176, Issue 12, 15 December 2012, Pages 1095–1100, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kws199
  68.  Wei C, Harada K, Ueda K, Fukumoto K, Minamoto K, Ueda A (2011) Assessment of health-promoting lifestyle profile in Japanese university students. Environ Health Prev Med 17, 222–227 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-011- 0244-8
  69.  Wilson D (2018) Indigenous South Americans Of The Past And Present: An Ecological Perspective (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/978042949985 2
  70. Yacat J (2013) Filipino Psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino). In The Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural Psychology, K.D. Keith (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/978111833989 3.wbeccp224
  71. Yankholmes A K B & Lin S (2012) Leisure and education in Ghana: an exploratory study of university students’ leisure lifestyles. World Leisure Journal, 54(1), 58–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/04419057.201 2.668044