A Comparative Study of Current Conditions in Leisure Time of Secondary Students

Abstract

Leisure time is limited, and spending valuable leisure time can affect self-improvement and improve students’ quality of life. However, leisure time management varies by grade level and leisure hours. Accordingly, the current study aimed to explore the effect of grade levels and leisure hours on leisure time management. Moreover, this study compared to time spent on leisure and enforced leisure activities between school days and weekends. The participant included 398 high school students selected by stratified random sampling. A self-report survey adapted from previous studies was employed to explore leisure hours and enforced leisure and leisure time management. The reliability of the survey was acceptable. The results using ANOVA found that goal and priority setting differed by grade level. Students in higher grade levels had more goal and priority setting than those in lower grade levels. Furthermore, there was a difference in leisure hours in leisure time management. Students with lower leisure time were likely to possess higher leisure time management. The current findings further revealed that time spent on leisure and enforced leisure activities differed between school days and weekends. Students engaged in leisure and enforced leisure activities on weekends more than on school days. These results provide insight for instructors or teachers to support students’ behaviors in their free time.