Determinants of Life Satisfaction for Koreans Using Family Life Satisfaction, and Leisure Participation: The Moderating Role of Prolonged COVID-19

Purpose: The goal of this research was to examine the moderating effect of prolonged COVID-19 on the impacts of family life satisfaction and leisure participation on life satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: This research used two independent variables: family life satisfaction and leisure participation. For the data collection, this work employed the Koreans’ Happiness Study. The study period was 2020-2021 which could be the pre and post-official vaccination against COVID-19 in Korea. For the data analysis, this research mainly used a fixed-effect regression model and median split analysis. Findings: The results revealed that life satisfaction is positively influenced by family life satisfaction and leisure participation. Additionally, the results demonstrated the significant moderating impact of prolonged COVID-19 on the effects of family life satisfaction and leisure participation on life satisfaction. Research limitations/implications: The study is limited by its focus on a specific population (Koreans) and time frame (2020-2021), making the findings less generalizable to other contexts or long-term trends. However, the research highlights the critical role of family and leisure in enhancing life satisfaction during prolonged crises, providing valuable insights for policy development and future studies. Originality/value: The results shed light on the literature by demonstrating the effects of prolonged COVID-19. Additionally, the outcome of this work could be used for policy-making.