Liza Berdychevsky
Biographic Data
| ID | 4439944 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Liza Berdychevsky |
| GIVEN NAMES | Liza |
| FAMILY NAME | Berdychevsky |
| SIGNATURE | BERDYCHEVSKY L |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9392-4979 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 42 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 279 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 42 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 11 |
Understanding Sex as Leisure Among Transgender Men Using Foucauldian Theorization
Recreation and sport programs for social-emotional development among socially vulnerable youth
Recreation programs can foster social-emotional learning. This constructivist grounded theory investigated the roles of a community-based recreation program in nurturing social-emotional competencies, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making skills. Twenty-five in-depth interviews (12 youth participants and 13 practitioners) revealed that within the context of a studied prog…
Transforming vulnerability into empowerment
Cybersex as Leisure
The dimensions of the sex as leisure view and their links to young adults’ sexual attitudes and comfort with sexuality
Covid-19’s Impacts on Community-Based Sport and Recreation Programs
COVID-19 ravaged the delivery of sport and recreation programs and services to socially vulnerable youth. Based on the in-depth interviews with nine practitioners/volunteers working with socially vulnerable youth in Little Village, Chicago, Illinois, and their 12 youth (14–16 years old) program participants (N = 21), this study offers a constructivist grounded theory of COVID-19-imposed constraints on sport and recreation programs, their adverse …
Aiming “High” in College
Young adulthood is characterized by a sense of invincibility while the college leisure environment offers a playground for risk taking and experimentation with self-identity. The purpose of this study was to clarify the essence of drug consumption in/as leisure experience and its links to existential authenticity and self-transformation. Data collection involved 16 in-depth individual interviews with U.S. college students. Transcendental phenomen…
Mechanisms of Action Promoting Social Emotional Learning in Sport and Recreation Program for Socially Vulnerable Youth
While sport and recreation programs have capacity to contribute to social emotional learning, there is a lack of clarity regarding how to achieve this. To address this void, we used constructivist grounded theory to identify the mechanisms of action promoting social emotional competencies captured by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) model (i.e. self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship s…
Impacts of Gang Involvement on Health and Well-Being
Extant studies on gangs have primarily focused on the adverse effects of gang activity on communities and risk factors for involvement, while information on the impacts of engagement in deviant leisure activities associated with gangs on the health and well-being of gang members is lacking. Therefore, using constructivist grounded theory and the biopsychosocial model, this study explored the impacts of gang affiliation and related leisure on the …
Sexual leisure and profiles of coping with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on sex life
Understanding sexual leisure and coping in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic is essential for effective education and praxis during and after the crisis. This study aimed to identify the clusters of copers based on their use of the coping mechanisms during the pandemic and profile them using the sexual, lifestyle, and socio-demographic characteristics. The data were collected using an online survey (N = 675) and analyzed utilizing cluster analy…
Phenomenological exploration of young adults’ recreational cannabis use experiences and associated leisure meanings
Societal normalization and decriminalization of cannabis use challenge its traditional characterizations as deviant leisure. This study investigated cannabis users' understandings of their consumption in/as leisure by utilizing hermeneutic phenomenology based on 16 in-depth interviews with young adults living in the U.S. states with legalized recreational cannabis. Findings suggest that young adults view recreational cannabis use as leisure due t…
Psychological, Socio-Demographic, and Logistical Factors Associated With Changes in Sex Life After Over a Year Into the Covid-19 Pandemic
This study examined changes in sex life about a year into the COVID-19 pandemic for both partnered and non-partnered individuals and identified the determinants of these changes. The results of an online survey (N = 675) reflect a significant decrease in the frequency of intimate and sexual behaviors and declines in sexual desire, quality, intimacy, diversity, and satisfaction. This study also showed that socio-demographic characteristics, psycho…
Sexual Coping Mechanisms During the Covid-19 Pandemic and Their Determinants of Use, Usefulness, and Effects on Sex Life
Sex as leisure approach during the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on the quantity and quality of sex life
The COVID-19 pandemic has detrimentally affected people’s sex lives. The purpose of this research was to study sex as leisure approach during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the quantity and quality of people’s sex lives. The cross-sectional data were collected using an online survey methodology (N = 675). The results show that, on average, the participants’ tendency to view sex as leisure has deteriorated during the pandemic, which is a…
Leisure among Second-Generation Mexican-American Youth Residing in Underprivileged Communities in Southern California
The study explored leisure among second-generation Mexican-American youth residing in low-income communities in Southern California with a particular focus on how neighborhood features influenced their leisure participation; the strategies parents adopted to keep their children safe during leisure, and the effects of parental negotiation strategies on youth’s leisure. The study was framed by the Family Systems Theory and the socio-ecological mode…
(Un)forgotten Sex Lives During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Young Adults’ Acceptance of Later-Life Sexuality Is Predicted by Their General Sexual Attitudes and Viewing Sex as Leisure
Ageism is entrenched in the contemporary Western society, rendering later-life sexuality negligible and limiting intergenerational understanding of lifespan sexual well-being. This cross-sectional study (1) measured young adults' extent of knowledge and attitudes toward later-life sexuality, general sexual attitudes, and sex as leisure views and (2) tested whether knowledge about elderly sexuality, gender, sexual attitudes, and sex as leisure vie…
Social-Ecological Analysis of the Sport and Recreation Programs’ Impacts on Positive Development of Youth from Socially Vulnerable Backgrounds
Positive developmental experiences of youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds in sport and recreation programmes have a capacity to contribute to youth’s resilience and serve as protective factors. Nevertheless, this area is under-researched and poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by investigating the effects of sport and recreation programmes on lives and positive development of youth from socially vulnerable …
The Roles of Recreation in the Prevention, Intervention, and Rehabilitation Programs Addressing Youth Gang Involvement and Violence
Youth violence and gang involvement are severe public health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles and benefits of recreation in the prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation programs addressing youth gang involvement and violence. Data collection involved 39 interviews with former gang members and practitioners working with current or previous gang members, predominantly from the Chicago metropolitan area. The data were a…
Sex as Leisure as a Coping Mechanism with the Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Sex Life
Understanding drugs as leisure through the (de)differentiation lens and the dialectic of Logos- and Eros-modernity
Recreational drug consumption is often associated with taboos and legal sanctions. However, the processes of drug liberalisation and decriminalisation have shifted societal attitudes and individual consumption patterns and associated meanings. These tendencies are particularly prominent on college campuses. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the U.S. college students’ interpretations of and experiences with recreational dru…
Innovation and Impact of Sex as Leisure in Research and Practice
This special issue responds to the need to investigate the complex links between sex and leisure and their implications for research and practice. The focus is on analyzing the complexity of sex as leisure in various socio-cultural and geographical contexts while focusing on pressing sexual issues and vulnerable populations. The articles address the implementation of a positive sexuality framework for guiding leisure research; sexual play and sex…
The Roles of Leisure Attitudes and Self-Efficacy on Attitudes Toward Retirement Among Retirees
Coping well with retirement could depend on sense of coherence (SOC), how confident an individual is to predict and manage the situation/environment using personal psychological resources. While diverse resources determine SOC, leisure resources could be essential for retirees due to extended free time. This study explored the roles of leisure attitudes (LA) and leisure self-efficacy (LSE) on attitudes toward retirement (ATR) using SOC theory. A …
Gangs and Deviant Leisure
The objectives of this study, guided by the principles of the social learning theory, were to explore the participation and motivations of gang members for involvement in deviant leisure activities. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 30 former gang members residing in Chicago and central Illinois. The findings showed that their leisure behavior included house parties that typically included the use of drugs, alcohol, and sex; “han…
Risky” Leisure Research on Sex and Violence
Controversial topics of sex and violence and their impacts on health and wellbeing have been virtually ignored in leisure scholarship. Leisure provides both risk and protective factors. Some leisure contexts offer opportunities for self-expression and experimentation and motivate involvement in sexually risky and violent behaviors. Conversely, recreation programs can serve as prevention and intervention tools for addressing risky practices. Sever…
Girlfriend Getaways and Women's Well-Being
This study explored girlfriend getaways (all-women leisure-based travel), focusing on the importance and meaning of such experiences and their potential contribution to women's overall well-being. Data collection involved 11 focus groups and 15 individual interviews, resulting in a sample of 83 women from diverse backgrounds. The data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The threads evident in the link between girlfriend getaways a…
Leisure in Coping With Depression
This article explores how people with depression perceive and use leisure in coping with their illness. The study applied a netnography approach and was based on data from 25 online depression communities. The findings suggest that people with depression perceive leisure as a useful coping resource. Yet, they seem to be trapped in vicious circles. The more depressed they feel, the less they are able to participate in leisure activities and benefi…
Sex as Leisure in Later life
This study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of the roles of sex as leisure activity in later life and to explore the links between sex and wellbeing at this life stage. Applying a netnographic approach, the study followed a full year of activity in 14 leading English language-based seniors’ online communities. The final dataset of 2,534 sex-related posts was analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The findings reflect the multipl…
Phenomenology of young women's sexual risk-taking in tourism
Women’s Sexual Behavior in Tourism
Sex as Leisure in the Shadow of Depression
As a freely chosen activity intended to generate pleasure and enjoyment, sex is an important human experience associated with a sense of “normality” and well-being. However, depression and antidepressants are typically associated with decreased libido and diminished sexual functioning. Drawing upon netnography and constructivist grounded theory, this study explored how sex is perceived and experienced by people with depression who participate in …
Girlfriend getaways over the life course
The interplay of psychological needs with life course stage has been used to understand how choice of tourist activities and behaviours may change with age. Adopting a constructivist, woman-sensitive approach and grounded theory, this study explored the influence of needs and life stage in the context of girlfriend getaways – women taking vacations together. Findings from nine focus groups and 15 individual interviews (79 women aged between 21 an…
Risky” Leisure Research on Sex and Violence
Controversial topics of sex and violence and their impacts on health and wellbeing have been virtually ignored in leisure scholarship. Leisure provides both risk and protective factors. Some leisure contexts offer opportunities for self-expression and experimentation and motivate involvement in sexually risky and violent behaviors. Conversely, recreation programs can serve as prevention and intervention tools for addressing risky practices. Sever…
Sexual behavior in women's tourist experiences
Women's Sexual Sensation Seeking and Risk Taking in Leisure Travel
This study investigated young women's perceptions of sexual risk in leisure travel contexts with the purpose of developing a measurement scale for sexual risk taking in tourism. Perceived dimensions of sexual risk taking and the differences across sexual sensation-seeking propensity levels were explored. The data were collected using an online survey and analyzed using exploratory structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that sexual risk…
Innovation and Impact of Sex as Leisure in Research and Practice
This special issue responds to the need to investigate the complex links between sex and leisure and their implications for research and practice. The focus is on analyzing the complexity of sex as leisure in various socio-cultural and geographical contexts while focusing on pressing sexual issues and vulnerable populations. The articles address the implementation of a positive sexuality framework for guiding leisure research; sexual play and sex…
Girlfriend getaway” as a contested term
Inversions of sexual roles in women’s tourist experiences
Women’s sexual behaviour in leisure-travel contexts is an under-researched area. Most attention has focused on commercial forms of sex/romance tourism. The purpose of this study was to address women’s sexual behaviour in tourism, with both steady and casual sexual partner/s, by focusing on their perceptions and related meanings. Drawing upon constructivist grounded theory, 21 in-depth interviews with secular and traditional Israeli Jewish women w…
The Roles of Leisure Attitudes and Self-Efficacy on Attitudes Toward Retirement Among Retirees
Coping well with retirement could depend on sense of coherence (SOC), how confident an individual is to predict and manage the situation/environment using personal psychological resources. While diverse resources determine SOC, leisure resources could be essential for retirees due to extended free time. This study explored the roles of leisure attitudes (LA) and leisure self-efficacy (LSE) on attitudes toward retirement (ATR) using SOC theory. A …
Sex and risk in young women's tourist experiences
Antecedents of Young Women’s Sexual Risk Taking in Tourist Experiences
The purpose of this phenomenological exploration was to shed light on the constellation of factors anteceding young women's sexual risk taking during their tourist experiences. A total of 15 in-depth interviews (1.5 to 2.5 hours each) with 13 women were conducted and analyzed through the lens of transcendental phenomenology. An analysis of antecedent factors revealed a confluence of sociopersonal characteristics (e.g., sexual definitions, attitud…
Young Adults’ Acceptance of Later-Life Sexuality Is Predicted by Their General Sexual Attitudes and Viewing Sex as Leisure
Ageism is entrenched in the contemporary Western society, rendering later-life sexuality negligible and limiting intergenerational understanding of lifespan sexual well-being. This cross-sectional study (1) measured young adults' extent of knowledge and attitudes toward later-life sexuality, general sexual attitudes, and sex as leisure views and (2) tested whether knowledge about elderly sexuality, gender, sexual attitudes, and sex as leisure vie…
Social-Ecological Analysis of the Sport and Recreation Programs’ Impacts on Positive Development of Youth from Socially Vulnerable Backgrounds
Positive developmental experiences of youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds in sport and recreation programmes have a capacity to contribute to youth’s resilience and serve as protective factors. Nevertheless, this area is under-researched and poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by investigating the effects of sport and recreation programmes on lives and positive development of youth from socially vulnerable …
The Roles of Recreation in the Prevention, Intervention, and Rehabilitation Programs Addressing Youth Gang Involvement and Violence
Youth violence and gang involvement are severe public health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles and benefits of recreation in the prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation programs addressing youth gang involvement and violence. Data collection involved 39 interviews with former gang members and practitioners working with current or previous gang members, predominantly from the Chicago metropolitan area. The data were a…
Let's Talk about Sex”
Seniors' online communities offer them a safe sphere for discussing sex-related concerns. This netnographic study explored the characteristics of sex-related discussions in such communities and followed online sex-related discussions that took place in 14 leading English language-based communities during one full year (2,534 posts). Analysis revealed that the discussions were simultaneously a source of valuable information and entertainment, and …
Gangs and Deviant Leisure
The objectives of this study, guided by the principles of the social learning theory, were to explore the participation and motivations of gang members for involvement in deviant leisure activities. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 30 former gang members residing in Chicago and central Illinois. The findings showed that their leisure behavior included house parties that typically included the use of drugs, alcohol, and sex; “han…
Sex as leisure approach during the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on the quantity and quality of sex life
The COVID-19 pandemic has detrimentally affected people’s sex lives. The purpose of this research was to study sex as leisure approach during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the quantity and quality of people’s sex lives. The cross-sectional data were collected using an online survey methodology (N = 675). The results show that, on average, the participants’ tendency to view sex as leisure has deteriorated during the pandemic, which is a…
Sex as Leisure as a Coping Mechanism with the Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Sex Life
Covid-19’s Impacts on Community-Based Sport and Recreation Programs
COVID-19 ravaged the delivery of sport and recreation programs and services to socially vulnerable youth. Based on the in-depth interviews with nine practitioners/volunteers working with socially vulnerable youth in Little Village, Chicago, Illinois, and their 12 youth (14–16 years old) program participants (N = 21), this study offers a constructivist grounded theory of COVID-19-imposed constraints on sport and recreation programs, their adverse …
Phenomenological exploration of young adults’ recreational cannabis use experiences and associated leisure meanings
Societal normalization and decriminalization of cannabis use challenge its traditional characterizations as deviant leisure. This study investigated cannabis users' understandings of their consumption in/as leisure by utilizing hermeneutic phenomenology based on 16 in-depth interviews with young adults living in the U.S. states with legalized recreational cannabis. Findings suggest that young adults view recreational cannabis use as leisure due t…
Girlfriend getaways over the life course
The interplay of psychological needs with life course stage has been used to understand how choice of tourist activities and behaviours may change with age. Adopting a constructivist, woman-sensitive approach and grounded theory, this study explored the influence of needs and life stage in the context of girlfriend getaways – women taking vacations together. Findings from nine focus groups and 15 individual interviews (79 women aged between 21 an…
Leisure in Coping With Depression
This article explores how people with depression perceive and use leisure in coping with their illness. The study applied a netnography approach and was based on data from 25 online depression communities. The findings suggest that people with depression perceive leisure as a useful coping resource. Yet, they seem to be trapped in vicious circles. The more depressed they feel, the less they are able to participate in leisure activities and benefi…
Sexual behavior in women's tourist experiences
Women’s Sexual Behavior in Tourism
Girlfriend Getaways and Women's Well-Being
This study explored girlfriend getaways (all-women leisure-based travel), focusing on the importance and meaning of such experiences and their potential contribution to women's overall well-being. Data collection involved 11 focus groups and 15 individual interviews, resulting in a sample of 83 women from diverse backgrounds. The data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The threads evident in the link between girlfriend getaways a…
Sex as Leisure in the Shadow of Depression
As a freely chosen activity intended to generate pleasure and enjoyment, sex is an important human experience associated with a sense of “normality” and well-being. However, depression and antidepressants are typically associated with decreased libido and diminished sexual functioning. Drawing upon netnography and constructivist grounded theory, this study explored how sex is perceived and experienced by people with depression who participate in …
Sexuality, women, and tourism
Phenomenology of young women's sexual risk-taking in tourism
Sex and risk in young women's tourist experiences
Inversions of sexual roles in women’s tourist experiences
Women’s sexual behaviour in leisure-travel contexts is an under-researched area. Most attention has focused on commercial forms of sex/romance tourism. The purpose of this study was to address women’s sexual behaviour in tourism, with both steady and casual sexual partner/s, by focusing on their perceptions and related meanings. Drawing upon constructivist grounded theory, 21 in-depth interviews with secular and traditional Israeli Jewish women w…
Antecedents of Young Women’s Sexual Risk Taking in Tourist Experiences
The purpose of this phenomenological exploration was to shed light on the constellation of factors anteceding young women's sexual risk taking during their tourist experiences. A total of 15 in-depth interviews (1.5 to 2.5 hours each) with 13 women were conducted and analyzed through the lens of transcendental phenomenology. An analysis of antecedent factors revealed a confluence of sociopersonal characteristics (e.g., sexual definitions, attitud…
Women's Sexual Sensation Seeking and Risk Taking in Leisure Travel
This study investigated young women's perceptions of sexual risk in leisure travel contexts with the purpose of developing a measurement scale for sexual risk taking in tourism. Perceived dimensions of sexual risk taking and the differences across sexual sensation-seeking propensity levels were explored. The data were collected using an online survey and analyzed using exploratory structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that sexual risk…
Let's Talk about Sex”
Seniors' online communities offer them a safe sphere for discussing sex-related concerns. This netnographic study explored the characteristics of sex-related discussions in such communities and followed online sex-related discussions that took place in 14 leading English language-based communities during one full year (2,534 posts). Analysis revealed that the discussions were simultaneously a source of valuable information and entertainment, and …
Girlfriend getaway” as a contested term
Sexual health education for young tourists
Sex as Leisure in Later life
This study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of the roles of sex as leisure activity in later life and to explore the links between sex and wellbeing at this life stage. Applying a netnographic approach, the study followed a full year of activity in 14 leading English language-based seniors’ online communities. The final dataset of 2,534 sex-related posts was analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The findings reflect the multipl…
Toward the Tailoring of Sexual Health Education Messages for Young Women
Perceived anonymity and decreased influence of sexual double standards in tourism provide female travelers with opportunities for sexual experimentation and risk taking. The purpose of this study was (a) to identify the clusters of risk takers among young women based on their perceptions of and motivations for sexual risk taking in tourism and (b) to profile the clusters with respect to the psychological, sexual, demographic, and tourist characte…
Risky” Leisure Research on Sex and Violence
Controversial topics of sex and violence and their impacts on health and wellbeing have been virtually ignored in leisure scholarship. Leisure provides both risk and protective factors. Some leisure contexts offer opportunities for self-expression and experimentation and motivate involvement in sexually risky and violent behaviors. Conversely, recreation programs can serve as prevention and intervention tools for addressing risky practices. Sever…
Gangs and Deviant Leisure
The objectives of this study, guided by the principles of the social learning theory, were to explore the participation and motivations of gang members for involvement in deviant leisure activities. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 30 former gang members residing in Chicago and central Illinois. The findings showed that their leisure behavior included house parties that typically included the use of drugs, alcohol, and sex; “han…
Innovation and Impact of Sex as Leisure in Research and Practice
This special issue responds to the need to investigate the complex links between sex and leisure and their implications for research and practice. The focus is on analyzing the complexity of sex as leisure in various socio-cultural and geographical contexts while focusing on pressing sexual issues and vulnerable populations. The articles address the implementation of a positive sexuality framework for guiding leisure research; sexual play and sex…
The Roles of Leisure Attitudes and Self-Efficacy on Attitudes Toward Retirement Among Retirees
Coping well with retirement could depend on sense of coherence (SOC), how confident an individual is to predict and manage the situation/environment using personal psychological resources. While diverse resources determine SOC, leisure resources could be essential for retirees due to extended free time. This study explored the roles of leisure attitudes (LA) and leisure self-efficacy (LSE) on attitudes toward retirement (ATR) using SOC theory. A …
Understanding drugs as leisure through the (de)differentiation lens and the dialectic of Logos- and Eros-modernity
Recreational drug consumption is often associated with taboos and legal sanctions. However, the processes of drug liberalisation and decriminalisation have shifted societal attitudes and individual consumption patterns and associated meanings. These tendencies are particularly prominent on college campuses. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the U.S. college students’ interpretations of and experiences with recreational dru…
Social-Ecological Analysis of the Sport and Recreation Programs’ Impacts on Positive Development of Youth from Socially Vulnerable Backgrounds
Positive developmental experiences of youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds in sport and recreation programmes have a capacity to contribute to youth’s resilience and serve as protective factors. Nevertheless, this area is under-researched and poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by investigating the effects of sport and recreation programmes on lives and positive development of youth from socially vulnerable …
The Roles of Recreation in the Prevention, Intervention, and Rehabilitation Programs Addressing Youth Gang Involvement and Violence
Youth violence and gang involvement are severe public health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles and benefits of recreation in the prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation programs addressing youth gang involvement and violence. Data collection involved 39 interviews with former gang members and practitioners working with current or previous gang members, predominantly from the Chicago metropolitan area. The data were a…
Sex as Leisure as a Coping Mechanism with the Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Sex Life
Psychology (37 works) · Social Psychology (33 works) · Social Psychology (30 works) · Sociology (29 works) · Political science (18 works) · Developmental psychology (15 works) · Medicine (14 works) · Tourism (14 works) · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management (13 works) · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology (12 works)