Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior
Open Access

Research Article

What do you like to do in Your Free Time? Activity Preferences of Adolescents Born Extremely Preterm

¹Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University Health Centre and Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation, Canada

²School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Research Associate, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation-Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, Canada

³Department of Rehabilitation, University of Laval, Quebec City, Canada and Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, Canada

⁴Neonatal Follow-up Program, Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University Health Centre, Canada

⁵Department of Rehabilitation, University of Laval, Quebec City, Canada and Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, Canada

⁶School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Research Associate, Montreal Children's Hospital-McGill University Health Centre and Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation, Canada

*Corresponding Author:

Noémi Dahan-Oliel
Shriners Hospital for Children
1529 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H4B 1T3
Tel : 514-842-4464
Fax: 514-842-7553
E-mail: noemi.dahan@mcgill.ca

Received Date: December 20, 2014, Accepted Date: February 04, 2015, Published Date: February 11, 2015

Citation: Dahan-Oliel N, Mazer B, Maltais D, Riley P, Nadeau L et al. (2015) What do you Like to do in Your Free Time? Activity Preferences of Adolescents Born Extremely Preterm. J Child Adolesc Behav 3:186. doi:10.4172/2375-4494.1000186

Copyright: © 2015 Dahan-Oliel N, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract Aim: To describe activity preferences of adolescents born extremely preterm and the association between child and environmental factors with activity preferences. Methods: Participants included 127 adolescents between 12 and 20 years of age born at ≤ 29 weeks gestation. Mean age was 16.0 years (SD=2.4 years) and the sample included 67 females. Leisure preferences were assessed using the Preferences for Activities of Children questionnaire. Cognitive ability was assessed by a psychologist using the Leiter-R brief IQ and motor competence was evaluated by a physical or occupational therapist using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition. Other potential determinants of activity preferences included gestational age, maternal education, behavior, mastery motivation, self-perception, social supports and environmental barriers which were assessed using standardized tests and questionnaires. Results: Adolescents born extremely preterm reported a high level of interest in a variety of leisure activities, especially social pursuits. Girls preferred social (p=0.004), skill-based (p=0.001) and self-improvement activities (p<0.001) than boys, and boys preferred active-physical activities (p=0.01) than girls. Activity preferences did not differ according to age and motor competence. Adolescents with lower cognitive ability (IQ<80) had lower preference for social activities than those with higher cognitive ability (p=0.028). Sex and mastery motivation explained 23% (skill-based), 28% (social) and 36% (active-physical) of the variance for activity preferences. Conclusion: Child and environmental factors influence activity preferences. Providing positive sex-specific activities in which adolescents born extremely preterm can experience mastery motivation and early successes may enhance healthy choices and continued participation in this population. Healthy choices may be supported by providing adolescents with affordable leisure opportunities in which they will overcome fear of failure, and will experience mastery and competence by designing or adapting existing activities to individual skill level. Attracting and retaining adolescents born extremely preterm in active hobbies may be achieved by fostering physical health and skill development within preferred activities, such as social pursuits.

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