Experiences of hedonia (i.e., seeking pleasure) and eudaimonia (i.e., actualizing human potential in pursuit of meaningful goals) are central to the study of human well-being.
Purpose.
This study sought to examine levels of hedonia (pleasure) and eudaimonia (productivity) in a convenience sample of college (university) students’ (n = 264) daily activities, controlling for levels of perceived stress.
Method.
Data were gathered using a 24-hr time-use recall diary designed to assess objective and subjective information about everyday activities. Descriptions of self-reported everyday activities were coded into 20 activity types.
Findings.
Activities reported high in pleasure were eating, listening to music/watching movies, and exercise. Activities reported as high in productivity were studying and working. Activities reported as high in both pleasure and productivity were reported less frequently and often had a recognizable outcome or provided social connection.
Implications.
Developing a greater understanding of how college students experience their daily activities could strengthen programs designed to enable students to manage stress and sustain their well-being.
AlsakerS.JakobsenK.MagnusE.BendixenH.KroksmarkU.NordellK. (2006). Everyday occupations of occupational therapy and physiotherapy students in Scandinavia. Journal of Occupational Science, 13, 17–26. doi:10.1080/14427591.2006.9686567
ArnettJ. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55, 469–480. doi:10.1037//0003-066X.55.5.469
4.
AtlerK. (2012). The development and initial validation of the Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity and Restoration Profile (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Colorado State University, Boulder.
5.
AtlerK. (2014). The Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity and Restoration Profile: A measure of subjective experiences. In PierceD. (Ed.), Occupational science for occupational therapy (pp. 187–199). Thorofare, NJ: Slack.
6.
AtlerK. (2015a). An argument for a dynamic interrelated view of occupational experience. Journal of Occupational Science, 22, 249–259. doi:10.1080/14427591.2014.887991
7.
AtlerK. E. (2015b). User-perceived utility of the Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity, and Restoration Profile. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82, 235–244. doi:10.1177/0008417415571731
8.
AtlerK. E.EakmanA.OrsiB. (2016). Enhancing validity evidence of the Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity, and Restoration Profile. Journal of Occupational Science, 23, 278–290. doi:10.1080/14427591.2015.1080625
9.
AtlerK. E.BarneyL.MoravecA.SampleP. L.FruhaufC. A. (2018). The daily experiences of pleasure, productivity, and restoration profile: A case study. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 84, 262–272. doi:10.1177/0008417417723119
10.
BerenbaumH.ConnellyJ. (1993). The effect of stress on hedonic capacity. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102, 474–481. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.102.3.474
11.
ChunS.LeeY.KimB.HeoJ. (2012). The contribution of leisure participation and leisure satisfaction to stress-related growth. Leisure Sciences, 34, 436–449. doi:10.1080/01490400.2012.714704
12.
ClarkF.JacksonJ.CarlsonM. (2004). Occupational science, occupational therapy and evidence-based practice: What the well elderly study has taught us. In MolineuxM. (Ed.), Occupation for occupational therapists (pp. 200–217). Malden, MA: Blackwell.
13.
CohenS.KamarckT.MermelsteinR. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385–396.
14.
CrepeauE.SchellB. A. B.GillenG.ScaffaM. (2014). Analyzing occupations and activity. In SchellB. A. B.GillenG.ScaffaM. (Eds.), Willard & Spackman occupational therapy (12th ed., pp. 234–248). Philadelphi, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
15.
DeciE. L.RyanR. M. (2008). Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological wellbeing across the life domains. Canadian Psychology, 49, 14–23. doi:10.1037/0708-5591.49.1.14
16.
DienerE.TayL. (2014). Review of the day of reconstruction method (DRM). Social Indicators Research, 116(1), 255–267. doi:10.1007/s11205-013-0279-x
17.
EakmanA. M. (2013). Relationships between meaningful activity, basic psychological needs, and meaning in life: Test of the Meaningful Activity and Life Meaning model. OTJR: Occupation Participation and Health, 33, 100–109. doi:10.3928/15394492-20130222-02
18.
EakmanA. M. (2014). A prospective longitudinal study testing relationships between meaningful activities, basic psychological needs fulfillment, and meaning in life. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 34, 93–105. doi:10.3928/15394492-20140211-01
19.
EakmanA. M. (2016). A subjectively based definition of life balance using personal meaning in occupation. Journal of Occupational Science, 23, 108–127. doi:10.1080/14427591.2014.955603
20.
EisenbergD.GolbersteinE.GollustS. E. (2007). Help-seeking and access to mental health care in a university student population. Medical Care, 45, 594–601. doi:10.1097/MLR.0b013e31803bb4c1
21.
ErlandssonL.EklundM.PerssonD. (2011). Occupational value and relationships to meaning and health: Elaborations of the ValMO-model. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 18, 72–80. doi:10.3109/11038121003671619
22.
FeldmanJ.NarayananS. (2004). Embodied meaning in a neural theory of language. Brain and Language, 89, 385–392.
23.
FisherK.GershunyJ. (2013). Multinational time use study: User’s guide and documentation (6th ed.). Oxford, UK: University of Oxford.
24.
HammellK. (2004). Dimensions of meaning in the occupations of daily life. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71, 296–305. doi:10.1177/000841740407100509
25.
HemphillJ. F. (2003). Interpreting the magnitudes of correlation coefficients. American Psychologist, 58, 78–80. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.58.78
26.
HendersonL. W.KnightT. (2012). Integrating the hedonic and eudaimonic perspectives to more comprehensivley understand wellbeing and pathways to wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(3), 196–221. doi:10.5502/ijw.v2i3.3
27.
HendersonL. W.KnightT.RichardsonB. (2013). An exploration of the well-being benefits of hedonic and eudaimonic behaviour. Journal of Positive Psychology, 8, 322–336. doi:10.1080/17439760.2013.803596
28.
HildenbrandW. C.LambA. J. (2013). Occupational therapy in prevention and wellness: Retaining relevance in a new health care world. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 266–271. doi:10.5014/ajot.2013.673001
29.
HiltonL. H.AckermannA. A.SmithD. L. (2010). Healthy habit changes in pre-professional college students: Adherence, supports, and barriers. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 31, 64–72. doi:10.3928/15394492-20100325-01
30.
HutaV.RyanR. M. (2010). Pursuing pleasure or virtue: The differential and overlapping well-being benefits of hedonic and eudaimonic motives. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 735–762. doi:10.1007/s10902-009-9171-4
31.
HutaV.WatermanA. S. (2013). Eudaimonia and its distinction from hedonia: Developing a classification and terminology for understanding conceptual and operational definitions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 1425–1456. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9485-0
32.
HutaV.WatermanA. S. (2014). Eudaimonia and its distinction from hedonia: Developing a classification and terminology for understanding conceptual and operational definitions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 1425–1456. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9485-0
33.
KiaeiY. A.ReioT. G.Jr. (2014). Goal pursuit and eudaimonic well-being among university students: Metacognition as the mediator. Behavioral Development Bulletin, 19(4), 91–104. doi:10.1037/h0101085
34.
KramerC. Y. (1956). Extension of multiple range tests to group means with unequal numbers of replications. International Biometric Society, 12, 307–310. doi:10.2307/3001469
35.
LarsonE. A. (2006). Stress in the lives of college women: “Lots to do and not much time.” Journal of Adolescent Research, 21, 579–606. doi:10.1177/0743558406293965
36.
LinS.-H.HuangY.-C. (2014). Life stress and academic burnout. Active Learning in Higher Education, 15, 77–90. doi:10.1177/1469787413514651
37.
LittellR. C.StroupW. W.WolfingerR. D.SchabenbergerO. (1996). SAS for mixed models (2nd ed.). Cary, NC: SAS Institute.
38.
LyubomirskyS.LayousK. (2013). How do simple positive activities increase well-being?Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22(1), 57–62. doi:10.1177/0963721412469809
39.
MisraR.McKeanM. (2000). College students’ academic stress and its relation to their anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction. American Journal of Health Studies, 16(1), 41–51.
40.
MollS.GewurtzR.KrupaT.LawM.LariveiereNLevasseurM. (2014). “Do-Live-Well”: A Canadian framework for promoting occupation, health, and well-being. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82, 9–23. doi:10.1177/0008417414545981
41.
OsgoodC. E.MayW. H.MironM. S. (1975). Cross-cultural universals of affective meaning. Champaign: University of Illinois Press.
42.
PendersonD. E. (2013). Gender differences in college binge drinking: Examining the role of depression and school stress. Social Science Journal, 50, 521–529. doi:10.1016/j.soscij.2013.03.003
43.
PetersonC.ParkN.SeligmanM. E. P. (2005). Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction: The full life versus the empty life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 25–41. doi:10.1007/s10902-004-1278-z
44.
PiercallE. A.KeimM. C. (2007). Stress and coping strategies among community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 31, 703–712. doi:10.1080/1066892600866579
45.
PizzagalliD. A.BogdanR.RatnerK. G.JahnA. L. (2007). Increased percieved stress is associated with blunted hedonic capacity: Potential implications for depression research. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2742–2753. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2007.07.013
46.
PortneyL.WatkinsM. (2009). Foundations of clinical research: Applications to practice (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
47.
RobertiJ. W.HarringtonL. N.StorchE. A. (2006). Further psychometric support for the 10-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale. Journal of College Counseling, 9, 135–147. doi:10.002/j.2161-1882.2006.tb00100.x
48.
RyanR.DeciE. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78. doi:10.1037110003-066X.55.1.68
49.
SchuellerS. M.SeligmanM. E. P. (2010). Pursuit of pleasure, engagement, and meaning: Relationships to subjective and objective measures of well-being. Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 253–263. doi:10.1080/17439761003794130
50.
SirgyM. J.WuJ. (2009). The pleasent life, the engaged life, and the meaningful life: What about the balanced life?Journal of Happiness Studies, 10, 183–196. doi:10.1007/s10902-007-9074-1
51.
SmithS. S. (2014). Mediating effects of stress, weight-related issues, and depression on suicidality in college students. Journal of American College Health, 63, 1–12. doi:10.1080/07448481.2014.960420
52.
SpreitzerG. M.GrantT. (2012). Helping students manage their energy: Taking their pulse with the energy audit. Exercises, Activities, and Simulations, 36, 239–263. doi:10.1177/1052562191142931
53.
StegerM. F.KashdanT. B.OishiS. (2008). Being good by doing goiod: Daily eudaimonic activity and well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 42, 22–42. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2007.03.004
54.
WatermanA. S.SchwartzS. E.ContiR. (2008). The implications of two conceptions of happiness (hedonic enjoyment and eudaimonia) for the understanding of intrinsic motivation. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9, 41–79. doi:10.1007/s10902-006-9020-7
55.
WelleP. D.GraffH. M. (2011). Effective lifestyle habits and coping strategies for stress tolerance among college students. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 42, 96–105. doi:10.1080/19325037.2011.10599177
56.
WilcockA. (2006). An occupational perspective of health (2nd ed.). Thorofare, NJ: Slack.
57.
World Health Organization. (2001). International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
58.
YerxaE.ClarkF.FrankG.JacksonJ.ParhamD.PierceD.…ZemkeR. (1990). An introduction to occupational science: A foundation for occupational therapy in the 21st century. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 6(4), 1–17. doi:10.1080/J003v06n04_04
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
