Outdoor leisure activities involve individuals engaging in high levels of physical and psychological interaction, where the sense of satisfaction plays a crucial role. In this context, examining the psychological processes underlying the relationship between adventure behavior seeking and event satisfaction is important for the design of outdoor activities and the enhancement of participant experience. Building on this, the aim of the study is to investigate the mediating role of recreational flow experience in the relationship between adventure behavior seeking and event satisfaction among individuals participating in outdoor leisure activities. This study involved 501 participants engaged in outdoor recreational activities, selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed the Adventure Behavior Seeking Scale, Recreational Flow Experience Scale, and Event Satisfaction Scale. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS, with the proposed mediation model tested via Model 4. The mediation analysis using Model 4 of the PROCESS macro revealed a partial mediating effect of recreational flow experience in the relationship between adventure behavior seeking and event satisfaction. Structural equation modeling indicated that adventure behavior seeking had a strong and statistically significant positive effect on recreational flow experience (β = 0.75, p < 0.001). Recreational flow experience, in turn, significantly predicted event satisfaction (β = 0.60, p < 0.001). Additionally, the direct effect of adventure behavior seeking on event satisfaction was significant (β = 0.21, p = 0.018), indicating partial mediation. The indirect effect via recreational flow experience was also significant (β = 0.68, p = 0.001). These results suggest that individuals with higher adventure behavior seeking tendencies experience greater satisfaction in outdoor events both directly and indirectly through enhanced recreational flow experiences during participation. By examining both the direct and mediated effects of adventure behavior seeking on event satisfaction, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms that enhance participant experience in outdoor leisure activities.
Erciş et al. (Sat,) studied this question.