Finnish adolescents’ time use: Time spent alone and time spent computing

Abstract

This study examines adolescents’ alone time by utilising a Finnish time use survey from 2009-2010. In the public debate, it is feared that young people spend too much time alone in front of computers instead of being socially and physically active. This descriptive study provides answers to questions of how much time 10- to 19-year-old adolescents spend alone and how much time is devoted to computing and other activities. Finnish adolescents spend on average 4 hours and 33 minutes alone per day. Adolescents spending more time alone devote significantly more time to computing and less time to social interaction and sports. Girls spend more time alone, but boys spend more time in computing, which may have more adverse effects on their well-being. More research to better understand the relationship between computing and adolescents’ welfare is needed.