Investigating Patterns of Spending Leisure Time with Emphasis on Physical Activities and Sport (Case Study: Female Teaching Staff, Students, and Office Staff at Ilam University)

Despite the interest in sport and physical activities in Iran, its role in spending the leisure time of various groups in the society is insignificant. Therefore, the aim of this research is to study and identify the patterns of spending the leisure time with emphasize on physical activities and sport at Ilam University. This study is a descriptive and a kind of field study. The statistical society includes 3888 individuals from female teaching staff, students, and the staffs of Ilam University, from them 362 have been selected through stratified random sampling by using Morgan’s table. The data was collected by using a questionnaire, and Cronbach’s alpha reliability, was determined (Ra= 0.89). For data analysis we used descriptive statistical method (the mean, standards deviation and distribution tables), and in inferential statistics (Kruskal-Wallis, ANOVA and LSD test) (p<00.05). The findings show that among leisure activities, using Mobile in all three groups was the most important activity in leisure time and physical activities and sport were in 7th, 8th and 9th priority among professors, students and staffs. In other words, investigation about relationship between variables indicates that there is a significant difference between income average, age and education level with the rate of sport and leisure time in all three groups. Static actions like using mobile and Chat have a major role in women leisure time, and sport doesn’t have a favorable position. Also, the existing difference in the ways of spending leisure time depends on the amount of income, age, marriage, interest, and social differences.