“I Just Want to Have Fun, But Can I?”: Examining Leisure Constraints and Negotiation by Children and Adolescents

Abstract

This study examined physically active leisure constraints of children and adolescents and empirically analyzed their ability to negotiate strategies to reduce their experience of constraints. Self-administered questionnaires and accelerometers were used to collect data on leisure constraints and physical activity from students (n=1654) in grades 3, 7, and 11. Gender and age differences were found in reported leisure constraints. Grade 3 and 7 girls more frequently reported fear of going out at night than boys. Grade 7 and 11 girls reported a lack of companions and too much schoolwork more often than boys. When examining the relationship between leisure constraints and reduction in physical activity levels, significance was found for distance in grade 3 and too much schoolwork for grade 11. However, physical activity levels were not affected indicating that participants appeared to be using negotiation strategies. Further research is needed to explore the constraints identified by these participants as they have important implications for their participation and leisure experiences. Use of an empirical measure of negotiation served as a useful tool for understanding leisure participation, as it provided a clear and accurate indication of levels of participation. When such measures are included along with opportunities to explore the context of negotiation strategies, a greater understanding of children's and adolescent's leisure will be obtained.