Predictors of boredom in adolescents

Boredom is a mental state that can have serious impact on different aspects of life, including: profession and education. The purpose of this study was to identify those factors associated with boredom in a sample of Persian adolescences. In a correlational study, 182 students (96 girls and 82 boys), aged between 12 to 18 years who were studying in secondary and high school level of education in Khoram Abad city, center of Lorestan (a western province of Iran) were selected using a cluster random sampling in 2009. The participants were asked to fill in boredom assessment scale (BSA) and boredom factor questionnaire (BFQ) included 4 components: home factors, school factors, community factors and educational items. Several Pearson correlation and regression analyses were applied on the data. It was shown that home factor (β=0.23) and school factor (β=0.24) were significantly correlated with boredom (P<0.01). Home factor (β=0.39) was a robust predictors of boredom in girls, while school factor (β=0.30) was a strong predictor of boredom in boys (P<0.01). Major components of home factor were: strictness of parents, parental dispute and conflict, more spare time without any job to do, and lack of pastime and recreational activities, and for school factor, component were: strict and serious behaviors of teachers and inappropriate homework. Inadequate interpersonal relationships and inflexible teaching or parenting style appeared to be the main predictors of boredom in adolescents. These variables should be taken in account while dealing with boredom in adolescents in order to prevent destructive consequences.