Outdoor public recreation spaces and social connectedness among adolescents

Bibliographic Data

ID15366366
AuthorsElise Rivera (0000-0003-0366-2387, Deakin University, corresponding author), J Veitch (0000-0001-8962-0887, Deakin University), Venurs Loh (0000-0003-1821-1087, Deakin University), Venurs H Y Loh, Jade Salmon (0000-0002-4734-6354, Deakin University), E Cerin (0000-0002-7599-165X, Australian Catholic University), Suzanne Mavoa (0000-0002-6071-2988, The University of Melbourne), Karen Villanueva (0000-0002-7721-1880, RMIT University), Anna Timperio (0000-0002-8773-5012, Deakin University)
Year2022
Volume22
Issue1
Publication date2022-01-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMC Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1471-2458 • E-ISSN: 1471-2458
PublisherBioMed Central (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1186/s12889-022-12558-6
OpenAlexW4225827652
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited75

Background Outdoor public recreation spaces are important settings for leisure and physical activity. Adolescents’ use of these spaces may contribute to social connectedness via social interaction with peers and the community in these settings. However, research on this topic is limited. This exploratory study examined associations of frequency of visitation and physical activity in outdoor public recreation spaces with social connectedness among adolescents in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Adolescents self-reported their frequency of visitation to parks, trails, beach/lake, and sports facilities; frequency of physical activity in a park, local street or path, and their street; and social connectedness. Separate analyses were conducted for visitation ( n = 349, 15.4 ± 1.6 years, 58% female) and physical activity ( n = 441, 15.4 ± 1.6 years, 59% female) using multilevel linear regression models. Results No significant associations were observed for frequency of visitation to a park (B = 0.86, 95% CI = − 0.26, 1.99), trails (B = 0.41, 95% CI = − 0.61, 1.44), beach/lake (B = − 0.44, 95% CI = − 1.46, 0.57), or sports facilities (B = 0.64, 95% CI = − 0.43, 1.70), nor for frequency of physical activity in their street (B = − 0.07, 95% CI = − 0.46, 0.31), local street/path (B = − 0.05, 95% CI = − 0.43, 0.33) or in a park (B = 0.23, 95% CI = − 0.14, 0.60) with adolescents’ social connectedness. Conclusions The findings did not support the hypothesis that visiting and being active in outdoor public recreation spaces are associated with adolescents’ social connectedness. Future research should consider the duration and context of outdoor public recreation space use (e.g., sports, socialising, relaxing alone) and whether different types and/or a combination of public spaces are more/less conducive to social connectedness

Biostatistics · Environmental health · Exploratory research · Geography · Poison control · Public health · Recreation · Social connectedness · Social support · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Adventure Sports and Sensation Seeking · Demography · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management · Social Psychology · Urban Green Space and Health · Ecology · Gerontology