Perceptions of Boredom in Leisure: Conceptualization, Reliability and Validity of the Leisure Boredom Scale

This paper describes a theoretically and empirically based conceptualization of the leisure boredom construct. In addition, it reports the secondary analysis of data from three studies (N = 679) for the purpose of assessing the reliability and validity of the Leisure Boredom Scale. The results provided strong Support for the internal consistency and construct validity of the instrument, which is designed to measure individual differences in perceptions of leisure as boredom. The scale correlated significantly in the hypothesized manner with all the theoretically meaningful constructs included in the three studies. Specifically, perceptions of boredom in leisure increased with decreases in perceived social competence, self-as-entertainment, intrinsic leisure motivation, self-esteem, leisure ethic, leisure satisfaction, leisure participation, and mental and physical health. It is suggested that the Leisure Boredom Scale is potentially usable in clinical and applied research involving examination of leisure dysfunctions such as lethargia, substance abuse, and vandalism. A second major use of the scale is in basic research focused on factors promoting and inhibiting the formation of perceptions of leisure as boredom, and on the positive and negative consequences of these perceptions.