How leisure crafting influences leisure satisfaction: A self-determination theory perspective
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This paper aims to examine the effects of leisure crafting on leisure satisfaction from a self-determination theory perspective. In this paper, it is also aimed to evaluate the mediating role of leisure benefits and the moderating role of work–leisure conflict within an integrated theoretical framework. We employed a quantitative analytical approach using structural equation modeling to test the proposed hypotheses and assess both direct and indirect relationships among the variables. A dataset of 325 hospitality industry newcomers in northern Taiwan was collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed to examine the relationships among leisure crafting, leisure benefits, leisure satisfaction, and work–leisure conflict. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) leisure crafting has a significant positive effect on leisure benefits, indicating that proactive adjustment of leisure activities enhances psychological and social gains; (ii) leisure benefits significantly mediate the relationship between leisure crafting and leisure satisfaction, suggesting that psychological need satisfaction functions as a key explanatory mechanism; and finally (iii) work–leisure conflict negatively moderates the relationship between leisure crafting and leisure benefits, such that higher levels of conflict weaken the positive influence of leisure crafting on perceived benefits. Overall, the results extend the application of self-determination theory to the leisure domain and provide empirical evidence for the motivational mechanisms underlying leisure satisfaction in high work-demand contexts.