2025/07/26 by Irene García‐Moya, Antonia Jiménez‐Iglesias, Marta Díez López +1 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Psychology · #Youth Development and Social Support #Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management #Outdoor and Experiential Education
paper · doi:10.1080/01490400.2025.2537834
openalex publication_date 2025/07/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
Although organized leisure has numerous benefits during adolescence, we still know relatively little about its role in school stress. The aim of this study was to provide insights into the role of participation in organized leisure-time activities in adolescents’ school stress. We used purposive sampling to select adolescents from high-stress and low-stress secondary schools from Andalusia (Spain), and conducted 24 focus groups with boys and girls from Grade 2 (13–14 years) and Grade 4 (15–16 years). Using thematic analysis, we identified three overarching themes. Participation in organized leisure can alleviate school stress, but it can also be stressful because it generates conflicting time demands with schoolwork. The study also hints at potential differences depending on the type of activity and provides valuable insights into gender differences in the choices made to skip or quit organized leisure, with implications for supporting adolescents’ regular organized leisure participation.