Supervisors info:
Γεράσιμος Κολαΐτης, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Μινέρβα-Μελπομένη Μαλλιώρη, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Αικατερίνη Παπανικολάου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Individual behavior has been a focal point of study in every developmental stage and especially in adolescence, a time period during which life-governing capacities are formed and difficulties are presented. The objective of the present study is to correlate emotional difficulties, conduct problems and substance use with the leisure of high school students. Τhe present study was conducted in the frame of the intercultural transnational school study «Eurasian Child Mental Health Study (EACMHS)», which focused on adolescents’ psychosocial wellbeing. The participants were the Greek sample collected in the context of the transnational program and consisted of 1581 teenagers, 737 boys and 844 girls, with an average age of 13,1 years. The greek version of the "Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire" was used, as long as questions about substance use and leisure time, constructed for the needs of the current research. Linear regression analysis showed that participants who frequently consumed alcohol and used illegal substances had more problems than those who did not (β = 2,17, SE = 0,32, p < 0,001 and β = 1,06, SE = 0,37, p <0,001, respectively). Also, those who were engaged with sports during their leisure time confronted less difficulties, compared to those who were not (β = -1,13, SE = 0,25, p < 0,001). There seems to be a significant correlation between adolescents’ difficulties and substance use, which constitutes the promotion of intervention programs, based on quality management of leisure time, as imperative.
Keywords:
High school students, Capacities, Difficulties, Substance use, Leisure time
