Abstract:
This study was a secondary analysis of data drawn from the Youth Leisure Study.
The purpose of the study was to: a) explore the relationships among physical activity, leisure
boredom, and various substance use variables; b) determine if leisure boredom moderated the
relationship among physical activity and substance use variables; and c) create a foundation
of knowledge with which to educate adolescents and educators of the importance of adopting
and maintaining a healthy lifestyle early in life (i.e., free from unhealthy behaviours such as
substance use and physical inactivity). Studies examining relationships among physical
activity and substance are limited and, in the past, have yielded inconsistent results.
The interaction of leisure boredom with physical activity intensity variables,
including both team and individual pursuits were tested using moderated hierarchical
regression procedures. Six measures of physical activity were used as independent variables,
including, frequency of high, medium, and low intensity individual and team physical
activities. Various types of substance use, including, tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol use,
binge drinking, and drunkenness were used as dependent variables.
The results for this study indicated that frequency of physical activity intensity was a
consistent, positive predictor of alcohol use and binge drinking, but not tobacco use,
marijuana use, or drunkenness. Leisure boredom was found to be a highly significant
predictor of tobacco use, however, it was not a moderator of relationships among physical
activity intensity and substance use variables.
The implications for the study findings, are discussed further, and suggestions for
future research are presented.
