An Exploration of the Effects of Adult Play on Happiness and Well-Being
Creators: name: Colston, Rosemary
Publisher: name: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Year: 2023
Subjects: adult-play
play-behaviour
playfulness
well-being
happiness
mental-health
creativity
group-intervention
games
leisure
Clinical and health psychology

description: Play in adulthood can increase subjective and psychological well-being in the player. However, there has been limited research specifically on adult play within the theories and research about well-being. This paucity of adult play research represents an opportunity to discover the links that play has with generating happiness and well-being.
description: The current thesis aimed to explore and extend theories of adult play within the context of well-being in four stages. Study 1 aimed to discover the correlations and predictors of well-being with play behaviour and identified barriers to play behaviour for Australian participants (N = 119). Results indicated that play behaviour was significantly positively correlated with, and accounted for small variance in, most aspects of well-being. Utilising the same data, Study 2 aimed to explore the correlations and predictors of play behaviour with identified barriers to play. Results indicated that play behaviour was best predicted by high playfulness and lower feeling overwhelmed and number of dependents. Study 3 involved thematic analyses of focus group interviews with self-identified players (N = 26) exploring their definitions, motivations, barriers, and origins of play behaviour. Results indicated that participants engage in play as a deliberate means of enhancing their well-being, and there exists a typology of player derived from childhood history of play. Finally, Study 4 was a 10- week play-based intervention for adults (N = 33), called Happy Club. Quantitative (i.e., preand post-surveys) and qualitative (i.e., weekly post-session feedback) methods were used to determine if participants experienced increases in well-being, mental health, playfulness, and creativity through immersion in regular play. Results indicated that participants experienced significant improvement to their play identities and well-being outcomes.
description: Across the four studies, the results consistently showed the well-being potential of play in adulthood. The key findings are as follows. First, quantitative and qualitative results indicated that play is associated with all aspects of well-being and happiness. Second, people who play more were privileged by less adverse and more positive life conditions than their counterparts with limited play time or activities. Third, adult play is distinctive from children’s and animal’s play, and is deemed by the subjective experience of the player.
description: Fourth, the primary motive to play was identified as the pleasure it elicited. Fifth, there is a discernible play illiteracy in the population samples. Sixth, a typology of player exists based on parental influence and play preferences. Seventh, participants who engaged in play regularly in the Happy Club had greater well-being, improved mental health, playfulness, and creativity, with medium to large effect sizes. In summary, the results of the thesis extend theory and research in well-being in support of play behaviour being an effective therapeutic behavioural well-being intervention as intended. These results are encouraging of play behaviour being an adaptive well-being behaviour worthy of further research.