eISSN: 1989-9742 © SIPS. DOI: 10.7179/PSRI_2024.45.13

http://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/

Versión en español: https://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/PSRI/article/view/101392/78884

Perception and experiences of University of Salamanca students about leisure and free time

Percepción y experiencias de los estudiantes de la Universidad de Salamanca
sobre el ocio y el tiempo libre

Percepções e experiências de estudantes universitários de Salamanca sobre
lazer e tempo livre

María Cruz SÁNCHEZ-GÓMEZ https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4726-7143

Juan Luis CABANILLAS-GARCÍA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8458-3546

Sonia VERDUGO-CASTRO https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9357-1747

University of Salamanca

Received date: 12.VIII.2023
Reviewed date: 30.X.2023

Accepted date: 23.III.2024

CONTACT WITH THE AUTHORS

Juan Luis Cabanillas García: Dto de Didáctica, Organización y Métodos de Investigación. Universidad de Salamanca. Paseo de Canalejas 169, C.P. 37008, Salamanca.E-mail: jluiscabanillas@usal.es.

1. Introduction

Leisure is defined as those practical and freely chosen activities directed towards self-realization, fun, or relaxation (Rodríguez Suárez & Agulló Tomás, 1999). Also, it can be defined as “a way of using free time through a freely chosen and rewarding occupation, whose development is satisfying or pleasurable for the individual” (Andrés-Villas et al., 2020, p.1). Consequently, it can be understood that leisure has importance and impact in people’s lives, as it is the time that can be used to grow and satisfy social and personal needs. In this sense, “it has been shown that, especially, active leisure contributes to maintaining adequate physical and mental fitness” (Sarrate Capdevila, 2008, p. 3).

In relation to youth and leisure time, contemporary young people are immersed in a dynamic sociocultural environment that significantly influences their perception and experience of leisure and free time (Hasanpour et al., 2023). In an era marked by technological advancements, changes in family and work structures, as well as transformations in cultural consumption patterns, youth are faced with a variety of options and challenges when it comes to dedicating time to non-obligatory activities (Hemming & Tillmann, 2023). This life stage is characterized by a search for identity, autonomy, and pleasure, where leisure becomes a space for exploration, expression, and social connection (Lenze et al., 2023).

Within the broad group of youth, young university students represent a particularly interesting group for the study of leisure and free time (Woodward et al., 2023). As individuals in a crucial stage of transition into adulthood, they face demanding academic requirements but also a wide range of opportunities for personal and social development (Kinder et al., 2023). The university experience not only involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills but also the building of support networks, the exploration of interests and passions, and the consolidation of identity. Thus, it is indisputable the relevance of understanding how students conceptualize and experience leisure and free time, to design strategies that promote their overall well-being and full development during this crucial stage of their academic and personal lives.

Some of the studies being conducted internationally on leisure choices made by university students include research on gender differences in these choices (Gómez-Mazorra et al., 2023), the impact of COVID-19 on the normal development of leisure activities (Turkmani et al., 2023), the relationship between leisure and education (Kono et al., 2024), and the perception of boredom (Labuschagne et al., 2023).

In Spain, the study of leisure has gained relevance over the years thanks to initiatives such as Red OcioGune and the Institute of Leisure Studies at the University of Deusto, which have significantly contributed to the analysis and promotion of this multidimensional field (Caballo Villar et al., 2018). These entities have addressed leisure as a complex phenomenon that goes beyond mere entertainment, recognizing it as a crucial component for individual and social well-being.

Within the whole framework between leisure and its options, Pedagogy and Social Education emerge, as from a pedagogical perspective, leisure becomes fertile ground for the application of active and participatory methodologies that encourage critical reflection, creativity, and autonomy (Kono et al., 2024). Additionally, social education finds opportunities to intervene preventively in the leisure realm, promoting values of inclusion, equality, and well-being through playful and recreational activities. In this sense, the integration of leisure and free time into educational and social processes emerges as a powerful resource to enhance human development and contribute to the construction of a fairer and more equitable society.

Taking all of this into account, one of the greatest benefits of using leisure time in enriching activities for personal development is that “the close relationship that occurs between participating in leisure activities, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction to counteract daily life problems” has been demonstrated (Sarrate Capdevila, 2008, p.3). The study conducted by Sandoval Acuña (2017), diagnosing the use of leisure and free time among students at the Universidad Nacional Experimental de Táchira (Venezuela), infers that students associate the concept of leisure with “wasting time” or “idleness”, having a negative connotation, while the term “free time” is more linked to “productive” activities. The negative association with the word “leisure” may be due to cultural influences, as in certain regions it is associated with the idea of “laziness” or “loafing”, and some students interpret it as doing “unproductive” things.

Regarding the typology of consumed leisure, this may vary depending on the different factors of the individuals who consume it, although it is worth noting that Spanish universities, currently, within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, “are considered promoters of health, defined as places that constantly reinforce their capacity as healthy places to live, learn, and work” (López-Alonso et al., 2021, p. 1). Additionally, López-Alonso et al. (2021) assert that those who engage in healthy or active leisure tend to have a better perception of their health and, in turn, a greater commitment to their studies or work activities.

In a study conducted by Agans et al. (2022) with university students in the United States regarding the practice of healthy and unhealthy leisure, it was concluded that all the students who participated were able to classify healthy and unhealthy leisure options, prompting the need for interventions to promote different methodologies for engaging in healthy leisure alternatives. In this line, among the preferences for leisure activities of university students, Andrés-Villas et al. (2020) highlight that 93 % of the studied group preferred to spend their free time listening to music, going out with friends (92.7 %), using the computer (88.8 %), exercising (78 %), resting/doing nothing (78 %), watching television (77.9 %), going to museums or exhibitions (27 %), going to the theatre (26.7 %), and attending conferences/discussions (20.1 %).

Other studies emphasize that young university students place greater importance on sports and socializing with their peers when investing their leisure time, as opposed to engaging in cultural activities (Cordero Domínguez & Aguilar Luna, 2015; Hernández Prados & Álvarez Muñoz, 2020). However, leisure activities involving digital media have become increasingly prevalent among university students, as the study conducted by López-Alonso et al. (2021) concludes that young people spend their free time chatting on social networks or the internet. In Spain alone, the daily use of the internet among young people aged 16 to 35 exceeds 90 %. This type of leisure allows them to interact with both people from their immediate surroundings and those they do not know, have no relationship with, or are far removed from their circle of friends. Furthermore, they believe that the use of social media is an easy, quick, and effective way to socialize, and internet access is a defining and highly prevalent element in the lives of young people.

It should be noted that certain issues related to leisure among university students have been identified. Suárez et al. (2021) argue that in the early years of university life, alcohol and tobacco consumption is more common, although it begins to decrease in the later years, with an increased interest in physical activity. As they progress in their academic and social maturity, they realize that there is a range of healthy leisure activities available within their institution that helps enrich their free time.

Regarding the unhealthy leisure options consumed by university students, López-Cisneros et al. (2021) conducted a study at the University of Sonora (Mexico) aiming to examine the relationship between personality traits and alcohol consumption during leisure time. One finding highlights that youth begin their consumption at the age of 17. This is primarily due to being in a transitional period between adolescence and adulthood, where they seek independence and aim to feel like members and participants in their own behaviors, values, norms, principles, habits, customs, and trends. In this regard, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated in the World Health Report on Alcohol and Health that 3.3 million people die each year due to this addiction (WHO, 2018).

On the other hand, in the study conducted by Navarro-Pérez et al. (2015) in Valencia (Spain) on adolescent student population, it was revealed that 79.8 % of the respondents admitted to having consumed addictive substances. 22.4 % admitted to consuming alcohol and marijuana, 12.6 % alcohol and tobacco, 9.3 % alcohol and amphetamines, 6.2 % alcohol and cocaine, 2.9 % marijuana and amphetamines, and 1.8 % other combinations of addictive substances. This study shows how alcohol is one of the most problematic substances consumed by this population, as it helps them overcome their introversion and difficulties in interacting with people they do not know or trust.

Therefore, investigating the leisure preferences of university students should be a fundamental objective for institutions, in order to offer quality healthy leisure alternatives that adapt to their tastes and hobbies. This can contribute to reducing the consumption of unhealthy leisure, which can lead to serious consequences in their personal and educational performance.

In the context of this purpose, the present study arises from the Innovation and Teaching Improvement Project of the University of Salamanca (USAL) for the academic year 2021/2022, named “Healthy Leisure for University Student Population (ID2021/172)”. The general objective pursued by this project is to investigate the typology, conceptualization, accessibility, and demands of USAL students regarding their leisure and free time. To achieve this, research questions are defined related to the conceptualization of leisure and free time by USAL students, as well as the barriers to their enjoyment, the availability of healthy activities, the impact of COVID-19, the quality of the university’s leisure offerings, predominant habits, and the influence of gender and age on these perceptions and practices. Additionally, this study takes into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students’ leisure, following the international research lines of other studies such as that of Woodrow & Moore (2021), which considered the impact in the United Kingdom.

2. Objectives and research questions

The development of this work is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on Health and Well-being and Quality Education. It comprehensively addresses the challenges of sustainable education systems and recognizes the inseparable links between healthy individuals, societies, and a healthy planet.

The salutogenic theory is a model of socio-health promotion that views individuals as active subjects capable of increasing control and improving their physical, mental, and social health. Community assets or resources for socio-health attitudes are those human, social, educational, physical, or environmental resources that enhance the capacity to maintain, preserve, and generate health and well-being (Sánchez-Casado et al., 2017).

The aim of asset mapping, in addition to providing visibility and value to all the structures and actions available at the University of Salamanca (USAL) that contribute to quality of life, should serve as a tool for community participation within the framework of social responsibility. From this perspective, the following research questions were formulated for the study:

· How does the student body at USAL conceptualize leisure and free time? (RQ1)

· What prevents students from engaging in and enjoying leisure activities? (RQ2)

· What availability do students have to engage in healthy leisure activities? (RQ3)

· How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the leisure of university students? (RQ4)

· Is the offering of healthy leisure activities by USAL adequate or does it need further depth and improvement? (RQ5)

· What are the predominant healthy and unhealthy habits among students? (RQ6)

· Are gender and age key factors in defining personal leisure and free time as well as that of USAL? (RQ7)

From the research questions arises the general objective of the investigation, which was to ascertain the typology, conceptualization, accessibility, and demands of USAL students regarding their leisure and free time. To achieve this objective, the following specific objectives were formulated:

· Investigating the concept of leisure and free time (SO1).

· Determining the reasons for abstaining from engaging in leisure activities (SO2).

· Identifying the main environments and places available for students to engage in healthy leisure activities (SO3).

· Investigating how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students’ leisure (SO4).

· Exploring the activities offered by USAL to students, aimed at promoting healthy leisure (SO5).

· Defining opportunities for improving the offering and dissemination channels of healthy leisure activities provided by USAL (SO6).

· Observing standards of healthy and unhealthy habits among students (SO7).

· Exploring differences between genders and age groups in the perception of personal leisure and free time as well as that available at USAL (SO8).

3. Methodology

This research has been shaped from the interpretative paradigm with a qualitative methodology based on content analysis (Verdugo-Castro, 2019), where the experiences and perceptions of university students were analyzed based on their knowledge and reference framework. This type of analysis, according to Bardín (2002), is defined as the set of textual analysis strategies aimed at obtaining indicators (whether quantitative or not) through the use of systematic and objective procedures describing the content of messages, allowing the inference of knowledge related to the production conditions (inferred variables) of these messages. In this case, a thematic content analysis has been carried out. This model focuses solely on the presence of terms or concepts without considering the relationships between them. Common techniques include the use of frequency lists, identification and classification of themes, as well as searching for words in context, and then examining units of analysis more deeply on a specific theme. For this, it is necessary to define and contextualize the topic before conducting the analysis (Andréu, 2002).

The population of the presented work was the student community of USAL during the academic year 2021/2022. It is a finite population which, based on the latest records, is estimated to range between 25,000 and 30,000 students enrolled across different levels: Undergraduate, Master’s, Doctorate, and Professional Titles. Through the snowball sampling technique, 487 USAL students were accessed, with the following profile: 123 males (25.26 %) and 364 females (74.74 %). Of these, 150 were first-year students (30.80 %), 141 were second-year students (28.95 %), 46 were third-year students (9.45 %), 126 were fourth-year students (25.87 %), and 23 were Master’s students (4.72 %). Regarding their faculties of origin, most faculties are represented in the sample, with higher participation from the Faculties of Education, Law, Social Sciences, Psychology, and Fine Arts.

Within the framework of the Innovation and Teaching Improvement Project of USAL for the academic year 2021/2022, titled “Healthy Leisure for University Student Population (ID2021/172)”, a questionnaire of open-ended questions was designed. This questionnaire was based on the methodological guide for the development of a health assets map aimed at health promotion professionals from the Castilla y León Health Council (Consejería de Sanidad Castilla y León, 2022). The purpose was to address the knowledge and perception of USAL student population regarding leisure and free time, as well as the leisure offerings promoted by USAL. Furthermore, its construction is supported by Kretzmann & McKnight (1993), who identify five dimensions for the construction of health and education asset maps, based on reflection on two approaches: abundance and scarcity:

· Individual assets (individuals, knowledge, and their skills).

· Collective assets (projects and resources self-managed by organizations, associations, groups).

· Institutional assets (projects developed by the University).

· Physical environment assets (green spaces, sports facilities, etc.).

· Cultural assets.

All members of the research team for the project, composed of twelve researchers from different areas of expertise (education, psychology, social sciences, and biology), have participated in the construction and validation of the questionnaire1 from an interdisciplinary perspective. Two dimensions have been used for evaluating the open-ended questions of the questionnaire: adequacy (whether the item is correctly formulated) and relevance (whether the item corresponds to the objectives intended to be achieved with the research), along with a descriptive open-ended assessment for improvement of each. The questionnaire was digitized using the Google Forms application for better distribution and accessibility, as the target population for the study is university students, who are digitally active and generally face difficulties in completing traditional paper-based surveys. Initially, the questionnaire was completed by students from the Social Education and Pedagogy programs, who then disseminated the questionnaire to their friends and acquaintances from other faculties through instant messaging applications and email. In this way, and thanks to the involvement of students in the project, access to a sample that offers a holistic view of the phenomena under study was possible.

The Teaching Innovation Project was approved by the Ethics Committee of USAL and the Vice-Rectorate of Transfer, following the protocol of good research practices established, with special mention of compliance with planning protocols, procedures and methodological rigor, environment, infrastructure, and compliance, financing management, audit and monitoring, safety, and health. The questionnaire responses have been analyzed in aggregate form, respecting the General Data Protection Regulation, and in the invitation email for completion, participants were informed of this Regulation and requested informed consent for participation.

Data analysis was supported by Computer-Aided Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS), specifically using NVivo version 12.0. The data treatment followed the classic system of qualitative data analysis (García-Toro et al., 2020). This model involved the following steps:

1. Data reduction. Information was divided into units of grammatical content (paragraphs and sentences). An inductive content analysis was conducted (developing categories from reading), analysis of collected material without considering categories, and deductive content analysis (categories are established a priori, and the researcher adapts each unit to an existing category). Evaluation of contents belonging to the corresponding category/subcategory was based on two levels, intra-coder and inter-coder, until agreement was reached among members of the research team (García-Peñalvo et al., 2018; Chirico et al., 2021).

2. Disposition and grouping. Various graphic resources and information were obtained using NVivo as follows: relationships and deep structure of the text, graphic representations or visual images of relationships between concepts, and matrices/cross-tabulations including verbal information according to specified aspects by rows and columns. For calculating the frequency of occurrence of categories and subcategories, the NVivo coding matrix exploration tool was used, developing a matrix per category (Marques-Sule et al., 2022; Serrano et al., 2023).

3. Results obtaining and conclusion verification. This phase involved the use of metaphors and analogies, as well as inclusion of vignettes and narrative fragments, culminating with the mentioned triangulation strategies, conducting processes of textual data analysis, description, interpretation, code counting, concurrence, comparison, and contextualization. To transform data into numerical values, statistical techniques for comparison and contextualization were used (Cabanillas-García et al., 2022).

On the other hand, a category table was constructed for the development of content analysis of textual data, consisting of four metacategories, eleven categories and one hundred and thirty-eight subcategories (Table 1):

4. Results

4.1. Analysis and perception of personal leisure and free time

In this section, we will analyze MC1 to describe how students conceptualize leisure and free time, their knowledge about it, and its most relevant uses. We’ll also explore the reasons that prevent them from engaging in leisure activities, the main environments and nearby places for leisure activities, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their leisure.

4.1.1. Concept and utility of leisure and free time

Linked to C1.1: Concept and utility of leisure and free time, it can be observed in Figure 1 that, for university students, leisure implies disconnecting (201 references) from the daily routine, the stress of academic or personal workload, being a key moment to clear their heads. At the same time, they show that it involves fun and enjoyment (156 references), being pleasurable activities that allow them to have a good time and include a socializing aspect (108 references) with family, friends, partners, and those people who truly fulfill and are loved by them, as well as meeting new people or helping those in need, being something natural in human beings.

Furthermore, students specify that it is also a time for rest (108 references), recovering energy to continue with daily activities and being a time away from their mandatory tasks (75 references). Additionally, they also emphasize that leisure activities help improve their mental health (74 references), clearing the mind, helping to feel comfortable with themselves, and improving mood. It is noteworthy that, for the majority of students, there is no distinction between the concepts of leisure and free time, with less than 10 % of students giving a different conceptualization of leisure and free time.

4.1.2. Reasons for abstaining from leisure activities

Regarding C1.2: Reasons for renouncing leisure activities, it can be observed in Figure 2 that the main reasons why students do not invest their free time in leisure activities are lack of time (147 references). Currently, university students must invest a significant amount of time in various obligations, both academic, as they have a heavy academic workload (116 references), and family-related. However, this lack of time often arises from poor task organization.

It has also been observed that factors such as not feeling like doing the activity (64 references), laziness (34 references), fatigue (36 references), and negative emotions and feelings (49 references) such as reflected by students “social pressure”, “anxiety”, “not feeling comfortable”, “discouragement”, “stress”, etc., limit their engagement in leisure activities. As observed in the previous point, leisure activities require motivation, fun, enjoyment, and entertainment, and if a person does not consider that the activity will bring these benefits, they may decide not to do it, potentially leading to a sedentary attitude.

Another factor to consider is the lack of financial resources (51 references), as this group does not have a large amount of money, except for those who receive scholarships or have the money provided by their families. Many of the activities they want to do require a financial investment that this group often cannot or does not want to spend, as they have other needs such as transportation or food.

4.1.3. Nearby places for leisure

Regarding C1.3: Nearby places for leisure, the various spaces available to students within a 15-minute walk from their homes for leisure activities were analyzed. It can be observed in Figure 3 that parks and gardens (176 references) have been highlighted, where students can walk, engage in moderate physical activity such as jogging, exercises on the available bio-healthy equipment, and meet with their peers and friends in an outdoor environment.

To a lesser extent, sports courts (69 references) stand out, where different sports disciplines can be practiced, gyms (66 references), bars, cafes, or restaurants (60 references), and the historic city center (42 references). These options allow students to visit places with great cultural and architectural value, while, as students indicate, “they have all the necessary resources and are very accessible from anywhere in the city”.

4.1.4. How the pandemic has affected leisure and free time

Analyzing C1.4: How the pandemic has affected leisure and free time, it can be observed in Figure 4 that students value and make more use of their leisure time (61 references), as the period of confinement at home and the reduction of their social interactions have led students to express that “I try to live more in the moment and make the most of it”, “I try to take advantage of opportunities to go out and do something”, and “I try to make the most of every moment I have because before I didn’t give it as much importance since it was always there”.

Additionally, students highlight that the pandemic has led them to engage in more leisure activities individually (48 references), with statements such as “I appreciate my time alone much more”, “I enjoy my leisure time alone more”, and “I have learned to enjoy leisure more alone”, indicating an alternative way of engaging in leisure activities without company.

On the other hand, it has been observed that students value the company of close individuals more (36 references), as reflected in statements such as “After the pandemic, I realized that I had to make the most of moments with company, so now I feel that I enjoy them more” and “I enjoy my time with friends and family more”, alongside a reduction in social interactions (35 references), as highlighted by students saying, “The pandemic has affected the way I relate to others because it has increased my fear of getting infected, and I interact with far fewer people”.

Moreover, as shown in Table 2 that a significant number of references indicating unfamiliarity with the areas or activities provided by the university correspond to first-year students. This suggests that universities should focus their information channels on open days for prospective students and on the opening events of each department or faculty at the beginning of the academic year.

4.2. Analysis and perception of leisure and free time at USAL

In this section, the analysis of MC2: Analysis and perception of leisure and free time at the University of Salamanca (USAL) is presented, providing a specific perspective on how leisure is addressed within the university environment. It explores the places available for leisure activities within the USAL, the leisure activities offered by the USAL, and the suggestions provided by students to improve the healthy leisure options offered by their university.

4.2.1. Available leisure spaces at the USAL

In an initial approach to C2.1: Available leisure spaces at the USAL, of which, as can be seen in Figure 5, students mainly highlight sports facilities (221 references), which include both outdoor and indoor sports infrastructure. The gym (80 references) also stands out, as well as the libraries (71 references), which gain importance within the academic context and their relevance to students, and the garden areas (46 references). However, it is worth noting that there is a high number of references indicating that students are not aware of the leisure areas at the USAL (131 references), and therefore, they will not be able to use the spaces provided for this purpose.

4.2.2. Healthy leisure activities offered by the USAL

Regarding C2.2: Healthy leisure activities offered by the USAL, it is noteworthy that this university offers a wide range of activities related to healthy leisure. Specifically, it has the Physical Education and Sports Service (SEFYD), responsible for promoting, organizing, and disseminating all aspects of physical and sports-related activities. As can be seen in Figure 6, students prioritize sports activities, both collective (228 references) and individual (126 references).

In Table 3, it can be observed that within collective sports, football (36.21 % of references) and basketball (27.59 % of references) stand out as the most referenced. Regarding individual sports, paddle tennis (32.5 % of references) and tennis (20 % of references) have been highlighted as the most referenced.

The Rector’s Trophy (89 references) has also stood out as another of the most mentioned activities by students. The Rector’s Trophy is the university’s flagship competition, pitting the various centers (faculties, schools, and residential colleges) of the University against each other in a wide variety of collective and individual sports.

However, it is worth noting that there is a high number of references indicating that students are not aware of the healthy leisure activities at USAL (162 references), with some mentions such as: “I don’t know because I am unaware of all the activities organized by USAL” or “I cannot indicate since I am not very informed”. Therefore, it is necessary to make these activities known to students, not only through traditional channels such as social media or institutional websites, as information does not seem to reach students through those channels, but also through USAL faculty themselves.

4.2.3. Suggestions to improve healthy leisure at USAL

Regarding C2.3: Suggestions to improve healthy leisure at USAL, as shown in Figure 7, the highest volume of suggestions is linked to social activities (139 references), with comments related to increased excursions, outdoor social activities, spaces for interaction with peers in a relaxed environment, faculty parties, and activities where the entire class group can interact, such as scavenger hunts or debates.

Suggestions related to sports activities were also highlighted (117 references), emphasizing the need for improvements in the gym, inclusion of more sports activities that are not solely competitive but also recreational, offering charity races to support various groups with registration proceeds, and including some activities that are not currently offered such as baseball, taekwondo, canoeing, and extreme sports. Additionally, there were a total of 78 references indicating that students have no suggestions or are unsure what to suggest, which may be related to their lack of awareness of leisure activities at USAL.

The results of this category indicate that students demand a greater variety of activities involving interaction and socialization with peers, whether in a familiar environment like USAL or an unfamiliar one outside of Salamanca, as their social interactions have noticeably decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

4.3. Student habits

In this section, the habits of university students (MC3) are analyzed. As seen in Figure 8, sports are the most referenced (316 mentions), followed by hanging out with friends (57 mentions), walking (45 mentions), and physical exercise (39 references). Conversely, as for unhealthy habits most mentioned that influence the worsening of their quality of life, partying stands out primarily (147 mentions), followed by alcohol consumption (96 references), smoking (39 references), drugs (33 references), and inadequate and abusive consumption of fast food or pre-cooked meals (29 references).

Additionally, it has been found that alcohol exerts a significant influence on this population. This can be observed in Figure 9, illustrating how alcohol consumption is linked to sedentary behaviors, where students remain indoors without engaging in physical activity, in venues that provide alcohol, or in spaces where they engage in binge drinking. Alcohol consumption is associated with the use of other substances such as tobacco and drugs, and it is preferably consumed when partying.

4.4. Gender and age differences in categories of MC1 and MC2

Regarding gender and age differences, on one hand, analyzing differences based on gender (C4.1), it can be observed from Table 4 that there are no significant differences between both groups in any of the analysis categories, as the average variance value is 1.25 %, and the variance among them ranges from 2 % in category 1.4 to 0.69 % in category 2.3. This implies that both men and women have a similar perspective on what personal leisure and leisure at USAL entail.

Regarding age differences (C4.2), some important aspects can be observed from Table 5, such as the fact that, at younger ages, there is a greater volume of references to the conceptualization and utility of leisure (C1.1: 18 years = 56.52 % compared to 29 years = 18.07 %, 30 years = 33.33 %, and 31 years = 29.03 %). This implies that these students, who often travel to a new city, have a greater consideration of what leisure means and value it more, as they invest more time in it during their first year of college than in their studies, and especially in establishing relationships and networks for their university career. Similarly, this younger student population also shows greater consideration for places near their residence to engage in leisure activities (C1.3: 18 years = 34.78 % compared to 30 years = 7.78 % and 31 years = 1.61 %), as they value and take into account those places in their immediate surroundings, as they are not familiar with other options further away, since it is their first year in the city of study.

However, this younger population gives less consideration to other aspects such as how the pandemic has affected their leisure (C1.4: 18 years = 0 % compared to 31 years = 19.35 %) compared to older students. The more mature students have shown greater consideration for the analyzed aspects such as the decrease in social relationships, loneliness, or the greater appreciation and subsequent utilization of free time, along with a lower ability to suggest improvements to USAL’s leisure offerings, compared to the younger student group (C2.3: 18 years = 0 % compared to 29 years = 31.33 %, 30 years = 21.11 %, 31 years = 16.13 %). These results confirm the differences found by course in the lack of knowledge of USAL leisure activities, as initially they are not aware of all the available offerings at USAL, and as their university career progresses, they become acquainted with the activities offered and improve their critical capacity regarding these aspects.

4. Discussion and Conclusions

In response to the research questions and study objectives, it can be concluded that university students are familiar with and preferentially engage in sports activities, with team sports being more prevalent than individual sports. The Trofeo Rector stands out as a key sporting event bringing together students at USAL. These findings align with Andrés-Villas et al. (2020), who previously demonstrated in their study that sports are considered fundamental for university students, being one of their preferred choices for engaging in healthy leisure activities.

Regarding the concept of leisure and free time, it is associated with engaging in favourite activities, considered hobbies, which provide time for fun, enjoyment, entertainment, and primarily disconnection during the moments they are performed. They do not have to engage in obligatory activities and can forget about them, such as academic and domestic tasks that hinder their engagement in leisure activities. These results are in line with previous long-standing studies (Rodríguez Suárez & Agulló Tomás 1999; Sarrate Capdevila, 2008) and more recent ones (Andrés-Villas et al. 2020), which show that there have been no changes in the concept of healthy leisure over time. However, they question the results obtained by Sandoval Acuña (2017), who links the conceptualization of leisure with a negative connotation of time loss, finding in the results obtained a clear positive connotation for the participants. However, it is worth noting that a small portion of the participants fail to differentiate between the concepts of leisure and free time, implying that they may not be able to identify the utility when defining stimuli to encourage time away from their obligations, as they lack adequate structuring and understanding of the implications of these activities on their quality of life.

Regarding how university students spend their free time, the majority of participants indicated that they used to socialize with their friends until the pandemic hit. However, despite the pandemic halting leisure activities and limiting them to spending free time alone or at home, they resumed communal leisure activities after the lockdown. Nevertheless, they tend to engage in a higher volume of solitary leisure activities, as the lockdown has led them to socialize primarily through virtual spaces such as social media or online games, rather than in-person interactions. This results in fewer peer gatherings and difficulties in engaging in group sports activities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted reflection on the time they dedicate to leisure and has helped them to value more positively the activities they engage in with their closest family members. All of this aligns with findings from other international research such as those of Woodrow & Moore (2021) and Turkmani et al. (2023).

Regarding the available spaces for healthy leisure near their residences, apart from what the University offers, they affirm that they have a wide variety of facilities and natural environments such as parks and gardens, sports courts, bars or cafes with board games, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, and shopping areas. Many of these spaces are free or low-cost, which facilitates leisure time. It is worth noting that at this stage they do not have a high level of economic availability, and most depend on family contributions and/or study grants. Both lines of results coincide with the research by Sandoval Acuña (2017).

In the in-depth analysis of the infrastructure of USAL for healthy leisure, they mention that the institution has facilities for sports practice such as a gym, athletics tracks, football fields, rugby fields, basketball courts, paddle tennis courts, tennis courts, etc. The university also offers sports linked to competitive teams that require high weekly discipline, which in many cases cannot be fulfilled due to lack of time linked to the academic workload of university life and in many cases, due to their lack of maturity to perform a good temporal structuring of the weekly activities to be carried out. They also have libraries for reading and study with flexible schedules. In addition, there are other facilities that allow students to socialize, such as landscaped areas, cafeterias, and the USAL campus itself.

As suggestions, they have highlighted those related to social factors, such as organizing activities to meet with classmates from other faculties, tourist routes, healthy parties, or gatherings in natural environments that they are unfamiliar with and include a wider range of non-competitive recreational sports activities. They demand greater dissemination and promotion of activities, especially on open days or social networks, results that coincide with those found in the study conducted by Méndez García (2010), where it is observed that students also obtain information about leisure activities through informal channels. Therefore, it is necessary to continue promoting research on improving leisure for young people, as affirmed by Agans et al. (2022) and López-Alonso et al. (2021). Additionally, it should be noted that a large part of the participants have indicated that they are unaware of the leisure areas or activities of USAL and do not have improvement proposals, which indicates a clear lack of knowledge of the university’s socio-healthy environment.

Finally, no notable differences have been found based on gender in the aspects analyzed regarding leisure and free time. However, it has been observed that with increasing age, there is a greater importance placed on knowing about activities and having a critical view of the leisure needs of young people. At the same time, it has been found that the group starting their university studies is more unaware of leisure areas and available activities, which implies that they may have more difficulty in providing improvement suggestions, may lack a comprehensive understanding of the implications of healthy and unhealthy leisure, and may end up engaging in harmful activities more easily, such as inappropriate partying or excessive consumption of alcohol, drugs, and/or tobacco, along with improper food intake and an unbalanced diet. Therefore, it is necessary to involve student associations, faculty, university centers such as Sports Services, Cultural Activities, Social Affairs, colleges, and university residences in providing counseling and support to students (Regional Health Council of Castilla y León, 2022).

Regarding the role of the University in recognizing students’ leisure practices from a pedagogical and social education perspective, the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that recognizes leisure as a fundamental component of the educational process is emphasized. The University, through pedagogy, should promote a holistic vision of student development that includes both academic and personal growth. Additionally, from a social education perspective, the University has the responsibility to address inequalities in access to and enjoyment of leisure, promoting inclusive practices that ensure all students have the opportunity to participate in leisure activities under equitable conditions.

In terms of the practical implications of the research, the findings obtained can inform the design and implementation of programs and policies that promote a student-centered and holistic educational approach.

The main limitation found in the study was that, given the high academic workload of the students, several reminders were needed to obtain the sample. An additional limitation of the study lay in the self-reported nature of the collected data, which could have introduced biases in the responses of the participants due to the inherent subjectivity in the perception of leisure and free time. Furthermore, the sample was limited to students from the University of Salamanca, which may limit the generalizability of the results to other university contexts.

As a future line of research, the intention is to delve deeper into the leisure time consumption of university students through the use of addictive substances and malpractice, technology, social media, and video games to offer a guide of best practices (Innovation Project requested for the academic year 2023/24).

Contributions

Funding

This research has been funded by the Innovation and Teaching Improvement Project of the University of Salamanca for the academic year 2021/2022, entitled “Healthy Leisure for University Student Population (ID2021/172)”, and was co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program, GIRLS Project (ref. 2022-1-ES01-KA220-HED-000089166).

Conflict interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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