Can leisure crafting enhance leisure engagement? The role of time structure and leisure type

The concept of engagement has been widely investigated in various fields. However, few studies have addressed the antecedents of leisure engagement. This study defined leisure engagement as a positive mental state of vigour, dedication, and absorption related to leisure activities. Two antecedents were considered, namely leisure crafting and time structure. Leisure crafting refers to individuals' active pursuit of goal setting, human connection, learning, and personal development related to leisure activities. Time structure refers to the degree to which individuals perceive their leisure time use to be structured and purposive. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of leisure crafting and time structure on leisure engagement as well as examining the interaction effects of time structure and leisure type. Survey data collected from 360 individuals demonstrated that leisure crafting positively affects leisure engagement. A high level of time structure also positively influences leisure engagement. Furthermore, time structure positively enhances the effect of leisure crafting on leisure engagement. This study contributes to the literature by revealing that leisure crafting and time structure are crucial antecedents of leisure engagement, and by emphasising the contingent role of time structure. Finally, managerial implications and suggestions for future work are discussed.