RECREATION AWARENESS AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

The positive influence of the leisure activity participation on the development of adolescents is emphasized by many researchers. However, participation in leisure activities among Turkish young people are still low. One of the reasons for the lower participation rate is the lack of awareness of recreation and its benefits. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to detect the level of recreation awareness among middle and high school students residing in Sapanca, Turkey, and to investigate gender differences regarding recreation awareness. Quantitative research methods were employed in this study. The data were collected face-to-face from students attending three different schools located in Sapanca. In total, 319 questionnaires were obtained; 33 cases were excluded from the dataset due to normality issues and missing data. The analyses were conducted on 286 cases. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the software tools SPSS 21 and EQS 6.2, employing advanced confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Recreation awareness was measured in three dimensions: fun, achievement, and self-improvement. Results showed that the respondents had above-average scores in recreation awareness. While no difference was found in the 'pleasure-fun' dimension between males and females, females scored significantly higher in the 'social-success' and 'self-improvement' dimensions. In order to increase recreation awareness and participation, especially among male students, middle and high schools should organize seminars and other types of events to promote the benefits of recreational activities. School management should collaborate with local government to design such programs.