Leisure practice in adolescents and associated factors: implications for care

Abstract

Objective

To relate the performance of leisure activity practices with quality of life, subjective well-being, anxiety, and depression in adolescents.

Methods

This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, analytical study, developed with 272 high school adolescents from three public schools in a center-western capital. Data collection occurred in May 2019 through self-application of four instruments: subjective well-being scale, hospital anxiety and depression scale, kidscren-52 quality of life questionnaire and sociodemographic questionnaire. The association among the independent variables was verified by Student’s t-test and Fischer’s chi-square test.

Results

Almost half of adolescents (49.6%) performed some leisure activity and it was verified lower scores for depression (p=0.008), higher in the positive affects of subjective well-being (p=<0.001), and for some dimensions of quality of life, such as health and physical activity (p=<0.001), feelings (p=0.0046), emotional status (p=0.033), autonomy and free time (p=0.007), financial aspect (p=0.001) and friends and social support (p=0.002). There was no significant association between leisure activity and anxiety scores, negative affects and life satisfaction.

Conclusion

The practice of leisure activities by adolescents is low and is associated with lower scores for depression and higher scores for some dimensions of quality of life and subjective well-being.

Adolescent; Leisure activities; Mental health; Quality of life