Leisure Activities and Loneliness Among People with Disabilities
79
Table 2 (continued)
Males
Females
Mean
(SD)
Specification
1
Specification
2
Mean
(SD)
Specification
1
Specification
2
Volunteer
work * MD
0.050
–
−0.0501*** 0.038
–
−0.0690***
(0.341)
(0.0187)
(0.301)
(0.0212)
Volunteer
work * SD
0.031
–
−0.0273
0.025
–
−0.0124
(0.275)
(0.0243)
(0.247)
(0.0264)
Cinema *
MD
0.051
–
0.0558*
0.043
–
0.0406
(0.269)
(0.0290)
(0.246)
(0.0343)
Cinema * SD 0.033
–
0.00712
0.024
–
−0.0407
(0.216)
(0.0340)
(0.189)
(0.0400)
Cultural
events * MD
0.053
–
−0.0118
0.050
–
−0.0113
(0.271)
(0.0333)
(0.265)
(0.0352)
Cultural
events * SD
0.038
–
−0.0791**
0.034
–
−0.0546
(0.230)
(0.0373)
(0.220)
(0.0415)
Constant
–
1.748***
1.706***
–
2.222***
2.227***
(0.0900)
(0.0903)
(0.0864)
(0.0867)
Number
observations
19,535
22,498
R-squared
0.084
0.088
Note Robust standard errors in parentheses, stars for significance levels. Individuals aged 16 or
over: ***P < 0.01, **P < 0.05, *P < 0.1
Source Author’s calculations using the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 2013
and 2017
and ‘cultural events’ (−0.0791 points). For the female sample, we identify some
differences with respect to the results obtained in Table 1. We find that the coefficient on ‘attending church’ is not significant at the 5% in both specifications, as
well as the coefficient on ‘volunteer work’ in specification 2. The rest of the coefficients are similar to those shown in Table 1. Having a moderate or severe disability
increases the levels of loneliness reported by females (except for the coefficient on
‘moderate’ in specification 2). As for the interaction terms, we only find significant
coefficients on the interaction term ‘attending church * SD’ (−0.049 points), and
‘volunteer work * MD’ (−0.069 points).
4 Conclusions
This study has analysed the impact of the level of participation in different leisure
activities (i.e. meeting family and friends, doing sports, artistic activities, attending
79
Table 2 (continued)
Males
Females
Mean
(SD)
Specification
1
Specification
2
Mean
(SD)
Specification
1
Specification
2
Volunteer
work * MD
0.050
–
−0.0501*** 0.038
–
−0.0690***
(0.341)
(0.0187)
(0.301)
(0.0212)
Volunteer
work * SD
0.031
–
−0.0273
0.025
–
−0.0124
(0.275)
(0.0243)
(0.247)
(0.0264)
Cinema *
MD
0.051
–
0.0558*
0.043
–
0.0406
(0.269)
(0.0290)
(0.246)
(0.0343)
Cinema * SD 0.033
–
0.00712
0.024
–
−0.0407
(0.216)
(0.0340)
(0.189)
(0.0400)
Cultural
events * MD
0.053
–
−0.0118
0.050
–
−0.0113
(0.271)
(0.0333)
(0.265)
(0.0352)
Cultural
events * SD
0.038
–
−0.0791**
0.034
–
−0.0546
(0.230)
(0.0373)
(0.220)
(0.0415)
Constant
–
1.748***
1.706***
–
2.222***
2.227***
(0.0900)
(0.0903)
(0.0864)
(0.0867)
Number
observations
19,535
22,498
R-squared
0.084
0.088
Note Robust standard errors in parentheses, stars for significance levels. Individuals aged 16 or
over: ***P < 0.01, **P < 0.05, *P < 0.1
Source Author’s calculations using the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for the years 2013
and 2017
and ‘cultural events’ (−0.0791 points). For the female sample, we identify some
differences with respect to the results obtained in Table 1. We find that the coefficient on ‘attending church’ is not significant at the 5% in both specifications, as
well as the coefficient on ‘volunteer work’ in specification 2. The rest of the coefficients are similar to those shown in Table 1. Having a moderate or severe disability
increases the levels of loneliness reported by females (except for the coefficient on
‘moderate’ in specification 2). As for the interaction terms, we only find significant
coefficients on the interaction term ‘attending church * SD’ (−0.049 points), and
‘volunteer work * MD’ (−0.069 points).
4 Conclusions
This study has analysed the impact of the level of participation in different leisure
activities (i.e. meeting family and friends, doing sports, artistic activities, attending