Work and Leisure in Adolescence

Adolescents spend their time in a broad range of work and leisure activities (Larson & Verma, 1999). Adolescent work activities occur in various contexts-in home, school, and volunteer settings, as well as in paid jobs. Adolescent leisure activities take place in similarly diverse locales; they include both passive media use (watching television, listening to music, reading, and browsing the Internet) and active recreation, such as sports, extracurricular activities, and clubs and organizations at school (Larson & Verma, 1999, pp. 702-703). These active pursuits, as well as some of the more passive ones, are generally considered beneficial or "good" leisure activities because they often provide challenges and learning opportunities for the young person (Csikszentmihalyi & Schneider, 2000).