Association between third places and behavioral problems among adolescents: A cross-sectional study
Background: A third place is a location other than home or school/work. Most studies investigating third places have focused on adults of various ages, leaving a gap in the understanding of how third places affect adolescents’ mental health. Objective: This study investigated the relationship betwee...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-10-01
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| Series: | Child Protection and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S295019382500110X |
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| Summary: | Background: A third place is a location other than home or school/work. Most studies investigating third places have focused on adults of various ages, leaving a gap in the understanding of how third places affect adolescents’ mental health. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between the availability of a third place and behavioral problems in adolescents. Participants: and Setting: Participants comprised parents of Japanese eighth graders aged 13–14 years (n = 540). Methods: The presence of a third place and behavioral issues were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which measures emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems, conduct problems, and hyperactivity. Of the 540 reports, 369 (68.3 %) indicated that children had a third place. T-tests comparing mean scores showed that the group without a third place scored significantly higher on emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems than the group with a third place. A logistic regression analysis was conducted using the inverse weight method with propensity scores. The explanatory variable was the presence of a third place, and the objective variable was the occurrence of behavioral problems. Propensity scores were calculated based on gender, family structure, household income, and parental education. Findings: The group with a third place scored significantly higher on behavioral problems and had a significantly lower risk of internalizing emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems than the group without such a place. Conclusion: Having access to a third place can significantly reduce the risk of problematic behaviors in adolescents. |
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| ISSN: | 2950-1938 |