The leisure and free time practices of adolescents in Galicia: socio-educational analysis and reflections

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. For decades, various studies have identified the potential of leisure time in the quest for personal and social development. This time is often pushed to the background in favour of other more socially prioritised activities. The objective of this work is to identify the leisure activities practiced by Galician Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) students —both during the week and at weekends— and to analyze the influence of their parents' educational level on the recreational activities that teenagers carry out most often. METHOD. The methodology is quantitative. A questionnaire prepared ad hoc was given to students from the 1st to 4th of ESO of public and private/public schools in Galicia, resulting in 1890 valid questionnaires. RESULTS. Digital leisure, watching television and playing sports are the activities that adolescents practice the most. Conversely, participating in associations and volunteering, as well as attending
cultural events are practiced the least. In general, it is evident that adolescents spend more time on leisure at weekends. Regarding the influence of the educational level of their parents; results indicate that the higher the parents’ academic level the more time their children dedicate to sport and physical activity instead of digital leisure. This same trend can be observed in reading, a leisure activity studied for its relationship with cultural capital. DISCUSSION. In general, the data obtained coincides with the existing literature. Thus, data from other investigations is presented that reaffirms —and in some cases contradicts— these results. In conclusion, leisure education plays a key role in alphabetizing the leisure of adolescents so that it transmits the mere occupation of free time to the development of valuable leisure experiences.