Actividades extraescolares durante la adolescencia: características que facilitan las experiencias óptimas

Abstract

Optimal experiences (OE) are characterized by intrinsic motivation in activities during which the individual experiences a great degree of satisfaction. These experiences have also been associated with personal development and the level of engagement in the activities. Also, extra-curricular activities have been associated with positive development during adolescence. Our objective was to study the features of participation in extra-curricular activities associated with the occurrence of OE on the juvenal population of the Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. The method we chose involved giving the Brief Inventory of Optimal Experiences of Calero and Injoque-Ricle (2013) to three hundred adolescents who participated in extra-curricular activities. Results show that the time allocated to the activity and the maturity of the practice did have an effect on the level of OE, as opposed to having a teacher, engaging in an activity with friends or the type of activity, which did not seem to influence the level of OE. Based on those results, it appears to be the case that features related with personal commitment to the activity are more important than features related to social aspects or to the nature of the activity.