Association of traditional leisure time activities during adolescence to later psychiatric morbidity in early adulthood – a systematic review

This systematic review summarizes studies of the association between traditional leisure activity engagement in adolescence and subsequent psychiatric morbidity up to early adulthood. The literature search for the review was conducted in May 2022 and in November 2023 utilizing three electronic databases. In total, eleven studies published between 2010 and 2023 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results showed that active participation to leisure time activities in adolescence associated with a lower likelihood of being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder by young adulthood. The most well-established link and strongest supporting data were found for depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders but for other psychiatric disorders, the evidence was indicative. The findings of reviewed studies highlight the importance of socially engaging recreational activities for adolescents' long-term mental health. Additional research is required to explore the associations between different leisure activities, including solo hobbies, and different specified mental disorders.