Savouring the ordinary moments in the midst of trauma: benefits of casual leisure on adjustment following traumatic spinal cord injury

The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits of casual forms of leisure during adjustment to traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). This qualitative study applied a grounded theory approach. A total of 10 participants were recruited from former and current participants of an adaptive sports organisation in Central Canada. The thematic analysis revealed four main themes of the benefits of casual leisure as follows: (a) tasting positive emotions, (b) providing a source of motivation and structure in everyday life, (c) experiencing a sense of belonging, and (d) creating a distance from acquired injury. The findings in this study provided empirical evidence that engagement in casual forms of leisure and savouring the anticipated moments in the midst of trauma can offer various benefits among individuals with traumatic SCI. Especially, our study demonstrated that the experience of joyful and relaxing moments by engaging in activities promoted various positive emotions during the stressful adjustment period. Also, the findings demonstrated that regular engagement in casual leisure is an important source of motivation in everyday life. Implications for professional practice are discussed.