Leisure Engagement, Boredom, and Health Among Adolescents With and Without Mental Health Conditions

Adolescents with mental health conditions often experience boredom and difficulty finding meaning in leisure, leading to reduced participation. This exploratory study aimed to characterize leisure patterns among adolescents with mental health conditions and those without diagnosed or treated mental health conditions, and to examine the extent to which engagement in meaningful activities, boredom proneness, and health accounted for variance in participation in leisure activities. Sixty participants (30 per group), aged 14–17 (M = 15.57 years, SD = 0.99), completed four electronic questionnaires. Findings revealed that adolescents with mental health conditions reported lower engagement in meaningful activities, higher boredom proneness, poorer mental health, lower leisure sociability and enjoyment, and less preference for outdoor activities. Group affiliation was associated with leisure sociability, and engagement in meaningful activities was associated with leisure variety, frequency, and enjoyment. These findings highlight how internal processes and clinical factors may converge to shape leisure participation, providing a basis for leisure-focused interventions among adolescents.