Scuba diving across cultures: motivation and well-being

Nature-based adventure activities in blue spaces (e.g. scuba diving) can produce positive effects on well-being. However, the generalizability of these effects for scuba divers globally and whether motivations vary for scuba diving remains unclear. Using a survey design, well-being and motivations were assessed across three cultural groups of scuba divers. Divers from Canada, Brazil, and Israel indicated how a typical dive influences them and their reasons for diving. Across cultural groups, scuba diving was perceived as being beneficial: increasing positive affect and happiness specifically; decreasing negative affect and stress, anxiety, and depression specifically; and a sense of greater connection to nature and marine environments. A calming physiological response was only present among Canadian and Brazilian divers. Generally speaking, effect sizes were large and similar across the cultural groups tested, which implies robust positive cross-cultural benefits of this nature-based adventure activity. Furthermore, motivations for diving were largely similar, though not identical.