EFFECTS OF BOREDOM ON SELF-REPORTED HEALTH

Two analyses were conducted to determine whether persons scoring in th e upper and lower quartiles on the Leisure Boredom Scale would differ in their self-reports of mental and physical health. It was hypothesiz ed that higher boredom scores would result in more negative self-repor ts of health. Data from two samples of college undergraduates were rep orted (total n = 779). Multivariate F tests were significant, supporti ng the hypothesis. After correcting for study-wise type I error inflat ion, high and low boredom groups differed on four of the six health in dicators in Study One, and three of the indicators in Study Two. Resul ts were discussed in the context of other literature concerning the re lationship between negative health behaviors and leisure boredom.