An analysis of adolescent leisure activity structure based on subjective well-being: Focusing on social network analysis

Abstract

This study examines how adolescent leisure activity networks relate to subjective well-being (SWB) using Statistics Korea’s 2019 Time Use Survey. The analysis includes 241 high-SWB and 241 low-SWB adolescents, assessing network density, inclusiveness, average distance, isolated nodes, degree centrality, and cohesion through NetMiner 4.0, with descriptive statistics processed in SPSS ver. 25.0. The results show clear differences in leisure activity networks. High-SWB adolescents engaged in more social activities and sports, while low-SWB adolescents participated in fewer, more solitary activities. High-SWB networks were diverse and well-connected, whereas low-SWB networks were more fragmented. Screen-based activities also played different roles: supporting social connections in high-SWB adolescents but reinforcing isolation in low-SWB adolescents. This study visually highlights that leisure participation varies by SWB level. The findings suggest that promoting diverse and interactive leisure activities can improve adolescent well-being, offering insights for policy and intervention programs.