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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

Original scientific paper

Received: April 05, 2025.

Revised: July 19, 2025.

Accepted: July 25, 2025.

UDC:

379.8-053.6:159.942(497.11)

10.23947/2334-8496-2025-13-2-393-402

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Corresponding author:

jelena.petrovic@filfak.ni.ac.rs

Abstract: Leisure time plays an essential role in shaping the lifestyle of young people and is closely linked to their

emotional well-being and overall happiness. This paper investigates the leisure time patterns of young people and explores the

correlation between these patterns and their level of emotional competence. The research involved 150 young people from South

and Eastern Serbia, aged 18 to 30. Participants’ emotional competence was measured using a short version of the Emotional

Skills and Competence Questionnaire (ESCQ). The key determinants of emotional competence include the ability to perceive and

understand emotions, express and label emotions, and manage and regulate emotions. To measure dominant leisure time patterns,

we employed a specially constructed Likert-type scale, focusing on elite, hedonistic, sports–recreational patterns, and a traditional-

unconventional pattern divided into passive and family categories. The results indicated that young people exhibited partial emo-

tional competence, with the ability to perceive and understand emotions as the most developed aspect. The most frequently reported

leisure activities fell under the hedonistic and passive patterns. The data revealed significant correlations between all aspects of

emotional competence and the elite, hedonistic, and sports–recreational patterns, with the strongest correlation observed between

emotional competence and the elite pattern, which includes cultural activities, reading, and volunteer work. The results indicate

that a higher level of emotional competence development is associated with the selection of quality leisure activities. Therefore,

we could rely on the educational potential of leisure time to promote the development of emotional competence and vice versa.

Keywords: leisure time, emotional competence, emotional education, young people.

Jelena Petrović

, Dragana Dimitrijević Pejčić

, Katarina Rančić

University of Niš, Faculty of Philosophy, Niš, Serbia,

e-mail:

jelena.petrovic@filfak.ni.ac.rs, dragana.dimitrijevic@filfak.ni.ac.rs

Technical school Pirot, Serbia, e-mail:

katarina.rancic@tsp.edu.rs

Exploring the Correlation Between Emotional Competence and the

Leisure Time of Young People

Introduction

Leisure time affects all areas of social life, but its meaning varies among different groups. It is highly

appreciated by hardworking individuals or students who have numerous obligations. However, it can be

neglected by the unemployed, as it dominates the entire framework of their everyday life. It could be

structured and focused on enjoyment or personal development, or unstructured and marked by boredom.

In any case, it is an important part of everyone’s life.

For young people, according to many authors (

Ilišin, 2007; Mlinarević, 2004; Zeijl et al., 2001),

leisure time is even more important, as it can support the intensive formative development they are

undergoing. It ensures young people the freedom to explore their interests and find fulfillment, helping

them achieve self-actualization. Furthermore, wisely chosen leisure activities offer rest, recreation, and

personal growth, which are essential during this stage of life. Some data indicate that young people are

often engaged in unstructured and unproductive activities, such as spending time with friends, participat-

ing in hedonistic activities like entertainment and music (Mlinarević, 2004), using the internet (Opić et al.,

2014), or engaging in unstructured sports activities (Petrović et al., 2018). This fact makes educational

interventions in this realm a necessity. Education should establish a balance between responsibility and

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

freedom. For example, with age, the frequency of unstructured physical activities declines during the

transition from adolescence to adulthood; however, the frequency of physical activities in adolescence

still predicts physical activity levels in adulthood, especially among males (

Kjønniksen et al., 2008). So,

educators need to empower young people to make more informed choices and stick to them. Developing

a culture of responsible leisure time use, focusing on organized and productive activities, and finding a

balance between passive and active pursuits contribute to personal development and can be beneficial

for physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being.

As it involves the free choice of activities and personal contacts, leisure time represents an open

space for young people to explore their feelings and emotions. They are less likely to suppress emotions

and exhibit self-doubt and insecurities during activities they freely choose for themselves. Moreover, they

will develop the ability to perceive and understand their own emotions, express and label them, and

manage and regulate them, which are the primary assets of emotional competence (Salovey and Mayer,

1990). In this sense, leisure time can be the basis for emotional development, and its potential should be

taken into consideration by educators.

Considering that the emotional aspect of personality influences the choices we make, including

the choice of leisure activities, we argue that there is a two-way connection between the emotional com-

petence of young people and the way they spend leisure time. We expect young people with highly

developed emotional competence to be more likely to participate in organized, social, and humanitarian

activities, and those that support their personal development.

We assumed that people who are more inclined to dedicate their time to helping others through

various forms of volunteering and social activism have a higher level of emotional competencies. Young

people whose free time is filled with various social activities have more opportunities to develop so-

cio-emotional competencies, unlike those who spend their free time passively. To test this assumption,

we dedicate this paper to investigating the correlation between emotional competence and leisure time

among young people.

Theoretical Framework

Free choice in leisure time enhances enjoyment, promotes positive personality development, and

is closely linked to emotional well-being and overall happiness. The selection of leisure activities greatly

influences one’s lifestyle, and it develops in patterns that can be recognized and studied.

Patterns in leisure-time activities are determined by the frequency of a particular group of activi-

ties and explain people’s interests and life orientations. The most frequently researched patterns across

different cultures are cultural patterns (Ilišin, 2007) and family patterns (Zabriskie et al., 2001). Initially,

cultural patterns were divided into rural, urban, and elite patterns; but, five additional patterns were later

added, including the sport pattern, family pattern, passive pattern, media pattern, and activist pattern

(Ilišin, 2007). The family pattern can also be divided into two: a core pattern that includes family lunch,

watching TV, and backyard activities, and a balanced pattern encompassing activities such as community

events, tourism, and adventure activities (Zabriskie et al., 2001).

For this research, we employ a division of leisure patterns into elite, hedonistic, sports-recreational,

and traditional-unconventional pattern, as described by Mlinarević (2004). The traditional-unconventional

pattern is based on family activities, traditional folklore games, as well as unstructured activities, including

watching TV, using the Internet, and playing computer games. We divided this pattern into the family pattern

and the passive pattern for the sake of better clarity. The sports-recreational pattern encompasses a range of

active and recreational sports activities, attending sporting events, and social games. The hedonistic pattern

represents leisure activities that provide fun and enjoyment, such as attending clubs and social gatherings.

The starting point for our research is the previously assumed correlation between different emotions,

leisure activities, and general well-being and mental health. Leisure time provides numerous opportunities for

practicing skills such as tolerance, democratic behaviour, conflict resolution, and communication skills (Opić

et al., 2014), which highlight its significant potential for social and emotional development and increase our

research interest in this topic. Engagement in leisure activities is positively associated with the expression

of positive emotions, especially in females (Zhang and Zheng, 2017). Pleasant feelings associated with lei-

sure activities are often linked to better mental health; however, a high frequency of entertainment activities

can also harm mental health (Mana and Barman, 2020). Leisure activities based on competition, such as

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

sports or games, can undermine interpersonal communication and support in close relationships. However,

participation in shared activities with peers is indirectly correlated with the development of interpersonal

competence (Tuggle, 2014). Also, previous research confirmed the connection of positive emotions with

cultural leisure activities: positive emotions such as joy and curiosity develop before and increase during

the leisure travel experiences (Mitas et al., 2012); high school theatre experience correlates with emotional

knowledge and developing the strategies to regulate emotions (Larson and Brown, 2007).

Emotional competence is a learned ability that is manifested in external activity or work and is

based on emotional intelligence (Goleman, 2001). The concept of competencies as learned abilities forms

the basis of Goleman’s idea of emotional intelligence. According to the construct of emotional intelligence

by Mayer and Salovey, there are four levels of ability, ranging from basic psychological processes to

more complex ones that integrate emotions and cognition, namely: perception and expression of emo-

tions; the emotional aspect of thinking, understanding, and analysing emotional information; and emotion

regulation. Within each of these key competencies, there are individual competencies, such as the ability

to identify emotions, the ability to use emotional states to solve problems, and the ability to understand

the relationships between different emotions (Salovey et al., 2008; Salovey and Mayer, 1990). In this re-

search, we focused on the main aspects of emotional competence, which are the abilities to perceive and

understand emotions, express and label emotions, and manage and regulate emotions.

Although emotional competence and leisure time are widely investigated phenomena, only a few stud-

ies indicate mutual relationships between them. One of the first studies examining the influence of competen-

cies on leisure activities dates back to the past century and confirms that emotional competence determines

the frequency of activities, as well as the fact that the lower the emotional competence, the higher the subjec-

tive feeling of difficulty in everyday activities (Pushkar et al., 1997). Nowadays, strong positive correlations

between emotional intelligence and physical leisure activities have been confirmed, particularly in aspects of

emotional competence, such as self-awareness, emotional stability, and relationship management. However,

correlations were not significant regarding empathy and altruistic behaviour (Singh and Fellow, 2017).

The role of leisure in developing and utilizing socioemotional competence is highlighted in a review

paper by Iwasaki (2006). The author distinguished four aspects of the connection between them: leisure

increases positive emotions and well-being; positive identities and self-esteem can be gained through

leisure; leisure activities develop social and cultural connections and skills; and leisure contributes to

personal and learning development.

Materials and Methods

This paper aims to identify the dominant leisure patterns of young people in Serbia and to inves-

tigate whether their emotional competencies correlate with the dominant patterns of their leisure time.

Our primary hypothesis was that young people with more developed emotional competence would be

more productive in their free time and would more often choose activities that have a positive influence

on their development and lifestyle. Thus, emotional competence will positively correlate with elite, sport-

recreational, and family patterns.

Data collecting and processing

The theoretical foundation for developing the first instrument was based on the leisure patterns

system established by

Mlinarević (2004), which we adapted by splitting the traditional-unconventional pat-

tern into two categories: the passive leisure pattern and the family pattern. To identify the dominant leisure

patterns among participants, we used a 5-point Likert scale specially designed for this study. Participants

rated how often they engaged in activities listed on the scale. It included 43 items (activities), divided into

five subscales: elite, hedonistic, passive, sports–recreational, and family pattern. The elite pattern sub-

scale examined the social and personal engagement of young people in their leisure time. This subscale

consisted of eleven items, including: I use my free time to read books; I attend seminars and lectures in

areas that interest me; I participate in the activities of a youth association; I participate in humanitarian

activities; and I visit cultural and artistic events organized in my city. The hedonistic pattern encompasses

various forms of unstructured entertainment, leisure activities such as listening to music, and modern

forms of communication. The following items represent it: I visit festivals and concerts; I play board games

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

(such as cards and Monopoly); I spend my free time during the day drinking coffee with friends; I relax to

good music and have a good time with friends. The passive pattern includes activities such as resting,

lounging, watching television, playing games on electronic devices, and using the Internet and social

networks. Nine items cover the passive pattern, including: I watch reality shows; I use my leisure time

to watch movies and series; I play games on my phone; I scroll social networks; I use my leisure time to

get a good night’s sleep. The subscale related to the sports-recreational pattern contains eight items and

explores participation in active and recreational sports, attendance at sporting events, and involvement

in sports in both active and passive forms. The representative items for this subscale are: I spend time

with my family or friends engaging in joint hobbies or recreational activities (such as cycling, going to the

pool, or participating in sports); I practice aerobics, fitness, or visit the gym; I follow sports channels; and I

attend sports events and competitions. The family pattern emphasizes the importance of fostering family

and traditional values during leisure time, encompassing activities such as caring for the home and family,

as well as respecting traditions, customs, and religious beliefs. It contains nine items, including the follow-

ing: I organize or attend family gatherings; I respect the family custom of having lunch or dinner together; I

perform household chores such as vacuuming, dusting, and cleaning the house; I participate in caring for

a pet. The alpha coefficient value of the scale was α = 0,870, indicating high reliability.

A shortened version of the ESCQ (

Takšić, 2002) scale, comprising 15 items, was used to meas-

ure the emotional competencies of participants. In our sample, the alpha coefficient value was 0,824.

Initially, it was developed in a Croatian setting as a 45-item scale based on the theoretical framework of

the emotional intelligence model (Mayer and Salovey, 1997) and validated in different countries (Avsec

et al., 2020; Faria et al., 2006). The ESCQ also showed strong positive correlations with the maintenance

of positive mood and subjective well-being (Takšić, 2002). It seems reasonable to expect that abilities

related to perception, understanding, managing, and using emotions to achieve desired goals would cor-

relate with dominant leisure patterns.

The research was conducted among young people aged 18 to 30 from the southern and eastern

regions of the Republic of Serbia. Data collection was conducted online using a Google Form question-

naire. We used convenience sampling based on voluntary participation and the principle of anonymity.

After collecting the data, the sample was divided into subgroups based on gender (male, 46.7%, and

female, 53.3%), age (18-20, 18%, 21-25, 54%, and 26-30, 28%), and work engagement (student, 42,7%,

unemployed, 23,3%, and employed,34% ).

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. was used for processing data. To

ensure the reliability of the instruments, Cronbach’s alpha test was applied. To determine the frequency of

leisure patterns and the level of emotional competence, we calculated descriptive statistics. For analyz-

ing the differences between subgroups, we conducted a t-test and an ANOVA test. Finally, to investigate

the correlation between emotional competence and dominant leisure patterns, we calculated Pearson’s

coefficient of correlation.

Results

The results are presented in three parts. First, we will describe the emotional competence of our

participants, then the dominant pattern of leisure time, and finally, the established correlation between

them, which will explain the nature of the connection between emotional competence and leisure activities.

Emotional competence of young people

As we mentioned earlier, emotional competence can be defined as the ability to perceive and dif-

ferentiate your own emotions and the emotions of others, as well as using emotional knowledge to devel-

op social interactions and regulate behavior (

Peter Salovey and Mayer, 1990). In this research, based on

self-reports from participants, we measured the level of three aspects of emotional competence: the ability

to perceive and understand emotions, express and label emotions, and manage and regulate emotions.

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

Table 1. Level of emotional competence

N M Sd

Ability to perceive and understand emotions 150 4.06 0.16

Ability to express and label emotions 150 3.91 0.63

Ability to manage and regulate emotions 150 3.73 0.96

The statistical data, presented in Table 1, suggest that our respondents are partially emotionally

competent. To investigate the differences in levels of development of aspects of emotional competence,

we ranked them by calculating the arithmetic means for each aspect. Results indicate that the ability to per-

ceive and understand emotions (M = 4.06) was the most developed aspect of their emotional competence,

and the ability to manage and regulate emotions (M = 3.73) was the least developed. However, there were

minimal differences among means. These results suggest that our respondents utilize their emotional

knowledge to regulate emotions and behavior, a characteristic of emotionally competent individuals.

Regarding the gender of the respondents, no statistically significant difference was found, indicat-

ing that the emotional competence of young people does not differ by gender in any of the components

of emotional competence studied.

Regarding the age of our participants, a statistically significant difference was observed in their

abilities to perceive and understand emotions (ANOVA test = 7.670; p = 0.01; p < 0.05) and their abilities

to express and label emotions (ANOVA test = 3.330; p = 0.39; p < 0.05). Both aspects of emotional com-

petence are more developed in the older group of participants (26-30 years), which is expected based on

existing literature data that emotional competence develops with age.

Patterns of leisure time of young people

All the activities that young people engage in during their leisure time can be observed through pat-

terns. For this research, we investigated the frequency of five leisure patterns among young people and

analyzed the differences in these patterns by gender, age, and employment status.

Table 2. Dominant leisure time patterns

N M Sd

Hedonistic pattern 150 3.83 0.63

Passive pattern 150 3.48 0.56

Family pattern 150 3.33 0.85

Sports-recreational pattern 150 3.04 0.77

Elite pattern 150 2.69 0.81

Results indicate that the most frequent activities generally belong to the hedonistic and passive pat-

tern, while the least dominant are leisure activities associated with the elite pattern. These results are not

surprising, considering that the hedonistic pattern includes activities such as going out and having fun in

clubs, while the passive pattern includes playing video games and watching television. These activities are

characteristic of the young population’s leisure time. Although they are shown to have a low frequency, the

activities of the elite pattern are not negligible, especially considering that these are academic and cultural

activities that, by their nature, do not usually involve daily implementation. Nevertheless, these numbers pro-

vide us with important information that suggests encouragement toward more productive leisure is desirable.

Considering the gender of the participants, a significant difference was confirmed in the elite and

family pattern of leisure time. The elite pattern is significantly more dominant (t-test = -5.680; p = 0.00; p <

0.05) in females than in males, as well as the family pattern (t-test = -10.069; p = 0.00; p < 0.05). This data

aligns with the cultural perspective of our society, in which women tend to pay more attention to culture, art,

and volunteer work compared to men, as well as with the traditional division of roles in patriarchal culture,

which is characteristic of our society, where women are often more dedicated to family responsibilities.

Observing the age, statistically significant differences in the representation of elite, family, and pas-

sive leisure patterns are confirmed. The elite (ANOVA test = 9.71; p = 0.00; p < 0.05) and family pattern

(ANOVA test = 22.06; p = 0.00; p < 0.05) are most common among young people from the oldest group of

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

respondents (26-30 years). When it comes to the passive pattern (ANOVA test = 15.08; p = 0.00; p < 0.05),

the data show that the passive pattern is most common in the youngest group of respondents (18-20 years).

These results are also expected, assuming that the pattern implying easy fun, such as playing games, watch-

ing movies, and TV channels, would be the choice of senior high schoolers and first-year college students.

Table 3. Dominant leisure pattern regarding participants’ employment

Employment N M Sd Anova df P

Elite pattern

Student 64 2.85 0.75

5.78 2 0.004Employed 51 2.75 0.77

Unemployed 35 2.12 0.85

Hedonistic pattern

Student 64 3.94 0.61

3.21 2 0.043Employed 51 3.64 0.64

Unemployed 35 3.83 0.48

Sports – recreational

pattern

Student 64 3.17 0.83

4.24 2 0.016employed 51 2.79 0.74

unemployed 35 3.17 0.58

Family pattern

Student 64 3.51 0.79

12.36 2 0.000employed 51 3.51 0.71

unemployed 35 2.74 0.89

Passive pattern

Student 64 3.51 0.44

15.12 2 0.000employed 51 3.20 0.57

unemployed 35 3.82 0.54

Statistical analyses of the data, which included employment as a research variable (Table 3), re-

vealed a statistically significant difference in all investigated leisure patterns. Elite and hedonistic leisure

patterns are significantly represented in the subgroup of employed students, in contrast to other groups.

The family leisure pattern is dominant in the subgroups of students and employed participants, but it is

significantly lower in the subgroup of unemployed participants.

The passive pattern is most prevalent among unemployed respondents, followed by students, and

is least prevalent among the employed. These results are supported by the data referred to earlier, which

show that the highest prevalence of passive pattern is among the youngest population, between 18 and

20 years of age, most of whom are unemployed.

Correlation between leisure time patterns and emotional competence

After determining the dominant leisure pattern and level of emotional competence among our re-

spondents, this part of the research investigated the relationship between young people’s emotions and

their leisure time spending.

Table 4. Correlation between leisure time patterns and emotional competence

Ability to perceive and

understand emotions

Ability to express and

label emotions

Ability to manage and

regulate emotions

Elite pattern

Pearson’s correlation 0.492

0.532

0.310

P 0.000 0.000 0.000

Hedonistic

pattern

Pearson’s correlation 0.242

0.348

0.180

P 0.003 0.000 0.027

Sports-

recreational

pattern

Pearson’s correlation 0.209* 0.189

0.227

P 0.010 0.021 0.005

Family

pattern

Pearson’s correlation 0.388

0.417

0.160

P 0.000 0.000 0.051

Passive

pattern

Pearson’s correlation -0.073 0.069 0.033

P 0.373 0.401 0.691

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

The obtained data showed a moderate to strong positive correlation between all aspects of emo-

tional competence and elite, hedonistic, and sports–recreational patterns. The most significant correlation

was between all aspects of emotional competence and the elite pattern (which includes cultural activities,

reading, and volunteer work) of spending leisure time. The family pattern in leisure time is also positively

correlated with the ability to perceive and understand emotions, as well as to express and label them.

Results did not indicate any significant correlation between the passive pattern of spending leisure

time and any aspect of emotional competence. This means that our participants choose activities from the

passive pattern regardless of their level of emotional competence development.

Discussion

Based on the results, we can conclude that our participants spend most of their leisure time in

hedonistic and passive activities. This is in accordance with data from previous studies (Opić et al., 2014;

Petrović et al., 2018) as well as the characteristics of the participants’ age. Since the nature of elite ac-

tivities usually does not involve daily engagement, we conclude that young people in our sample spend

a satisfying, though improvable, amount of productive leisure time. Elite leisure pattern activities have

unquestionable benefits (Fletcher et al., 2003; Larson and Brown, 2007; Mitas et al., 2012) and contribute

to overall well-being, education, and emotional development, making them important assets to further

development. Data on gender and age differences provide us with more information and guidance on how

to enhance this practice. Our results, similar to some previous research (Ilišin, 2007; Zeijl et al., 2001),

show that activities included in the elite leisure pattern are more dominant among older participants and

females, indicating which parts of the population the action should be directed toward.

Regarding emotional competence, our participants demonstrated a highly developed ability to per-

ceive and understand emotions, as well as slightly less developed abilities to express and label emotions;

however, their ability to manage and regulate emotions was partially developed. These results are important

for understanding the emotional development of young people because emotional awareness and under-

standing of emotions are the first steps toward emotional regulation (Ikävalko et al., 2020). Still, there is more

work to be done on the way toward achieving full emotional maturity and emotionally competent behavior.

Interestingly, contrary to our expectations, gender was not a significant variable, as results showed

similar emotional competence in both female and male participants. On the other hand, expectations

regarding age were confirmed, with results indicating that older participants (aged 26-30) are significantly

more emotionally competent. Similar results were obtained by Dimitriu and associates (Dimitriu et al.,

2014) in a sample consisting of university students.

Ultimately, the primary objective of this research was to investigate whether the type of leisure

activities, as represented by leisure patterns, correlates with the level of emotional competence among

young people. Results indicate a significant correlation with elite, hedonistic, and sport-recreational pat-

terns, but no significant correlation with the passive leisure pattern. The most significant correlation was

found between all aspects of emotional competence and the elite pattern of spending leisure time, which

includes cultural activities, reading, and volunteer work. This confirmed our hypotheses, based on previ-

ous studies, which showed that activities such as writing, composing music, painting, and other cultural

pursuits significantly enhance emotional creativity (Trnka et al., 2016). Additionally, research has found

that theater experiences enhance the ability to regulate emotions (Larson and Brown, 2007).

Although the previous research (Mahoney and Stattin, 2000) confirms a connection between un-

structured leisure activities and antisocial behavior, different approach to those activities implies that

unstructured activities based on fun (in our research included into hedonistic pattern) are important for

young people because represent time with low stress, and enhance enjoyment (Harshita Singh, 2020).

On the other hand, participating in active sports helps regulate emotions. It has been confirmed that, with

an increasing degree of mental readiness, athletes also enhance their ability to regulate emotions (Yalcin

et al., 2021). Sports activities can serve as an educational tool to integrate people, enhance children’s

success, and promote an active lifestyle and overall well-being (Stănescu et al., 2020). Regarding our

results, we can conclude that the primary characteristics of sport, including activity, peer interaction, and

free choice, are associated with recreational sport and contribute to emotional development.

Observing only the frequency of activities, involvement in more leisure activities was confirmed to

be connected to more positive emotions (Zhang and Zheng, 2017). The referred research did not differ-

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Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

entiate between the types of leisure activities; however, those results can still explain the high correlation

we noted with emotional competence and the three different leisure patterns. Other research indicates

that the high frequency of entertainment activities (more than 6 hours) negatively correlates with mental

health (Mana and Barman, 2020), which can explain our results showing no correlation between passive

leisure activities and emotional competence. Based on an analysis of numerous theoretical and research

papers, Mansfield and associates (Mansfield et al., 2020) concluded that promoting well-being is possible

by modifying leisure time and focusing on structured, cultural, and high-quality activities. This is especially

important to consider, given that young people often engage in various activities that change frequently

(Zeijl et al., 2001).

Some researchers have confirmed that young people use leisure activities to manage stressors

in everyday life, and based on this data, have recommended developing social-emotional competence

programs that help reduce stress, primarily through sports activities (Hutchinson et al., 2008). In this

regard, a connection has been confirmed between semiprofessional and hedonistic sports activities and

positive emotions, as well as tension reduction (Kerr et al., 2002). Additionally, a higher level of emotional

and social competence has been confirmed to predict future engagement in leisure activities (Pushkar

et al., 1997). All noted correlations in our research, as well as discussed data, indicate that emotionally

competent young people choose leisure activities that further contribute to their emotional development.

Conclusions

The first insight this research provides is regarding the emotional competence of young people in

Serbia. The general conclusion that emotional competence is only partially developed in our population

suggests that, although we have a solid foundation, there is still a need for educational efforts to focus on

enhancing emotional competence. In this context, special attention should be directed toward developing

the ability to manage and regulate emotions, which represents a higher level of emotional competence

and is the least developed. Furthermore, the results indicate that the primary intervention should target

the younger population, regardless of gender.

The second conclusion drawn from our findings is that young people in Serbia should be offered

and encouraged to engage in more productive leisure activities. A pattern of passive leisure activities pre-

dominates across the entire population, particularly among younger, male, and unemployed participants.

While this pattern is not inherently harmful, it should not overshadow other leisure activities that promote

physical and mental well-being.

Lastly, the results demonstrated a significant correlation between emotional competence and lei-

sure patterns. Until further research clarifies the nature of this mutual influence, we believe that this con-

nection is bidirectional. More emotionally competent participants tend to choose more productive activities

that have a positive impact on their own lives and those of others. Additionally, fulfilling leisure time also

enhances emotional competence. One effective strategy for improving both areas of research is to inte-

grate emotional education with thoughtfully organized leisure activities.

Ultimately, the study’s findings have significant implications for future research directions. The con-

nection between leisure time and emotional education is a valuable research field and could help us better

understand both phenomena. As the foundation for leisure culture and emotional competence is formed

during the adolescent period, it deserves special attention from researchers, which our results also con-

firm. Further studies could also consider other factors that were not included in this study, such as the

participants’ economic status and available community resources. Finally, future studies should address

the methodological and interpretive limitations of this study. Refining sampling methods, such as adopt-

ing random sampling to improve representativeness, and incorporating comprehensive analyses, such

as factor analysis, would also enhance the understanding of how leisure time is connected to emotional

competence. These steps would facilitate more accurate findings, the development of effective interven-

tions and educational policies.

www.ijcrsee.com

401

Petrović, J., Pejčić, D. D. & Rančić, K. (2025). Exploring the Correlation between Emotional Competence and the Leisure

Time of Young People, International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(2),

393-402.

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Niš, as part of the project

“Affirmation of Pedagogical Theory and Practice in Contemporary Society” (No. 423/1-3-01).

Conflict of interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, J.P., D.D.P., and K.R.; methodology, J.P. and K.R.; formal analysis, D.D.P., and

K.R.; writing—original draft preparation, J.P. and D.D.P.; writing—review and editing, J.P. and D.D.P.

All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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