Association between leisure-time activities and school failure in adolescents: The 1993 Birth Cohort

AimTo evaluate the relationship between leisure-time activities at 11 years old and the incidence of school failures from 11 to 15 years in adolescents.MethodsThe sample comprised 4,090 adolescents from the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort, Brazil. The outcome was measured as the number of school failures from 11 to 15 years, based on reported information from cohort participants and their parents. The exposures were collected at 11 years old, as follows: reading; meeting friends; talking to parents; and dating.ResultsIn the group from 11 to 15 years old, 53.3% failed at school at least once. Meeting friends 4–7 times/week (RR = 1.15) and dating 1–3 times/week (RR = 1.22) were associated with high risk for school failure. Reading showed an inverse relationship with school failures (1–3 times/week RR = 0.83; 4–7 times/week RR = 0.71). Reading at least once a week could prevent around 16% of school failures.ConclusionThe context in which adolescents are inserted plays a relevant role in school performance. Understanding these factors may help to propose actions to reduce school failure rates even further.

### 研究目的
评估11岁青少年的闲暇活动与11至15岁期间学业留级发生率之间的关联。

### 研究方法
本研究纳入巴西1993年佩洛塔斯出生队列（Pelotas Birth Cohort）的4090名青少年作为研究对象。结局指标为11至15岁的学业留级次数，数据来源于队列参与者及其家长的报告信息。暴露因素于研究对象11岁时采集，具体包括：阅读、与朋友会面、与父母交谈以及约会。

### 研究结果
在11至15岁的研究对象中，53.3%的青少年至少经历过1次学业留级。每周与朋友会面4-7次（相对风险（Relative Risk, RR）=1.15）以及每周约会1-3次（RR=1.22）与学业留级的高风险存在关联；阅读行为与学业留级呈负相关关系：每周阅读1-3次组RR=0.83，每周4-7次组RR=0.71。每周至少阅读1次可降低约16%的学业留级发生风险。

### 研究结论
青少年所处的生活环境对其学业表现具有重要影响。明晰此类影响因素，可为进一步制定降低学业留级率的干预措施提供理论依据。