Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use

The problematic use of technology of children and adolescents is becoming a growing problem. Research has shown that excessive technology use predicts a variety of psychological and physical health problems. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of leisure time activities (structured and uns...

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Main Authors: Ibabe, I. (Izaskun), Albertos-San-José, A. (Aránzazu), Lopez-del-Burgo, C. (Cristina)
Format: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Language:eng
Published: Springer 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10171/69286
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author Ibabe, I. (Izaskun)
Albertos-San-José, A. (Aránzazu)
Lopez-del-Burgo, C. (Cristina)
author_facet Ibabe, I. (Izaskun)
Albertos-San-José, A. (Aránzazu)
Lopez-del-Burgo, C. (Cristina)
author_sort Ibabe, I. (Izaskun)
collection DSpace
description The problematic use of technology of children and adolescents is becoming a growing problem. Research has shown that excessive technology use predicts a variety of psychological and physical health problems. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of leisure time activities (structured and unstructured) in adolescents as a predictor of problematic technology use. Participants were 7723 adolescents, of which 55% were girls, from four Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Spain, Mexico, and Peru) between the ages of 13 and 18 years. The evaluation instrument applied was the YOURLIFE project self-report questionnaire. Two executive functions were measured: goal setting and inhibitory control. Using structural equation modeling, findings indicated that structured leisure time activities predicted less PTU, whereas unstructured activities predicted more PTU, MLχ2 (69, N = 7723) = 806.60; CFI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.042, and the model had good predictive capacity for PTU (R2 = 0.46). Structured and unstructured activities also showed indirect effects on PTU through executive functions. As adolescents spent more time in unstructured leisure activities, poorer goal setting, inhibitory control skills, and more PTU were found. The opposite was true for structured leisure time activities. Implications of structured leisure activities to develop executive functioning and to prevent PTU for adolescents are discussed.
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spelling oai:dadun.unav.edu:10171-692862024-04-01T05:05:18Z Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use Ibabe, I. (Izaskun) Albertos-San-José, A. (Aránzazu) Lopez-del-Burgo, C. (Cristina) Problematic technology use Executive functions Leisure activities Unstructured leisure Inhibitory control Goal setting Adolescents The problematic use of technology of children and adolescents is becoming a growing problem. Research has shown that excessive technology use predicts a variety of psychological and physical health problems. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of leisure time activities (structured and unstructured) in adolescents as a predictor of problematic technology use. Participants were 7723 adolescents, of which 55% were girls, from four Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Spain, Mexico, and Peru) between the ages of 13 and 18 years. The evaluation instrument applied was the YOURLIFE project self-report questionnaire. Two executive functions were measured: goal setting and inhibitory control. Using structural equation modeling, findings indicated that structured leisure time activities predicted less PTU, whereas unstructured activities predicted more PTU, MLχ2 (69, N = 7723) = 806.60; CFI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.042, and the model had good predictive capacity for PTU (R2 = 0.46). Structured and unstructured activities also showed indirect effects on PTU through executive functions. As adolescents spent more time in unstructured leisure activities, poorer goal setting, inhibitory control skills, and more PTU were found. The opposite was true for structured leisure time activities. Implications of structured leisure activities to develop executive functioning and to prevent PTU for adolescents are discussed. 2024-03-26T10:11:17Z 2024-03-26T10:11:17Z 2023 info:eu-repo/semantics/article https://hdl.handle.net/10171/69286 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess application/pdf Springer
spellingShingle Problematic technology use
Executive functions
Leisure activities
Unstructured leisure
Inhibitory control
Goal setting
Adolescents
Ibabe, I. (Izaskun)
Albertos-San-José, A. (Aránzazu)
Lopez-del-Burgo, C. (Cristina)
Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
title Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
title_full Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
title_fullStr Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
title_full_unstemmed Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
title_short Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
title_sort leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use
topic Problematic technology use
Executive functions
Leisure activities
Unstructured leisure
Inhibitory control
Goal setting
Adolescents
url https://hdl.handle.net/10171/69286
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