It's in the water: A qualitative exploration of the perceived effects of outdoor open water swimming on swimmers' psychological well-being

IF 3.1 2区心理学 Q2 HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM

Psychology of Sport and Exercise Pub Date : 2025-03-08 DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2025.102838

Holly Dawe , Montse C. Ruiz , Tracey J. Devonport

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Outdoor swimming for both leisure and physical exercise is a fast-growing activity in the United Kingdom. However, research into the perceived effects of outdoor open water swimming on psychological well-being is limited. Considering the inherent combination of physical activity, leisure, and nature immersion, the notion of outdoor swimming as a potential activity in the social prescribing initiative to enhance psychological well-being was investigated. Guided by Ryff's (1989) six core dimensions of psychological well-being, ten swimmers who frequently swim recreationally in the sea (n = 5) or freshwater bodies (n = 5) around the UK were interviewed via Microsoft teams. Interviews explored the perceived influence of recreational outdoor swimming in the sea and in freshwater bodies on swimmers' psychological well-being. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. A combination of inductive and deductive analytic approaches enabled findings pertaining to the six dimensions of PWB to be identified (deductive analysis), as well as novel findings (inductive analysis) derived from the data through open coding. Two broad themes were identified following inductive analysis, motivation and enablement. Motivation to swim outdoors aligned with social prescribing objectives, including swimming for leisure, exercise, time alone, company, and connection to nature. Findings also indicated the enablement of emotional regulation through meditation, reflection, and escape when outdoor swimming. It enabled pain relief through cold water exposure, and psychological well-being aligned with the six dimensions outlined by Ryff (1989). Findings illustrate the potential benefits of outdoor open water swimming for psychological well-being and its possible utility in the social prescribing agenda.

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来源期刊

Psychology of Sport and Exercise 医学-心理学

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

5.90%

发文量

172

审稿时长

69 days

期刊介绍： Psychology of Sport and Exercise is an international forum for scholarly reports in the psychology of sport and exercise, broadly defined. The journal is open to the use of diverse methodological approaches. Manuscripts that will be considered for publication will present results from high quality empirical research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, commentaries concerning already published PSE papers or topics of general interest for PSE readers, protocol papers for trials, and reports of professional practice (which will need to demonstrate academic rigour and go beyond mere description). The CONSORT guidelines consort-statement need to be followed for protocol papers for trials; authors should present a flow diagramme and attach with their cover letter the CONSORT checklist. For meta-analysis, the PRISMA prisma-statement guidelines should be followed; authors should present a flow diagramme and attach with their cover letter the PRISMA checklist. For systematic reviews it is recommended that the PRISMA guidelines are followed, although it is not compulsory. Authors interested in submitting replications of published studies need to contact the Editors-in-Chief before they start their replication. We are not interested in manuscripts that aim to test the psychometric properties of an existing scale from English to another language, unless new validation methods are used which address previously unanswered research questions.