The association between school-aged children’s self-reported levels of playfulness and quality of life: a pilot investigation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Playfulness and quality of life (QoL) appear to be related constructs; however, no studies have explored the potential association between them to date. Playfulness and QoL are important practice-related concepts for education and therapy professionals who work with children and their families. This study examined the potential links between children's self-reported playfulness and QoL. Thirty-one typically developing children aged 8–12 years (average age 10 years and 9 months, standard deviation = 1.12; 61.29% female) completed the Children's Perceptions of Their Play and the KIDSCREEN-52 instruments. It is noted that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 made participant recruitment and the execution of the study challenging. Data were analyzed using Spearman rho correlations and linear regression with bootstrapping. Data analysis results revealed statistically significant associations and predictive relationships between QoL-related physical wellbeing to active play and free time; QoL-related psychological wellbeing to the child's overall playfulness; the child's reported levels of QoL-related autonomy and their free time; and the child's QoL-related school environment to planned activities (p < .05 & p < .01). The study findings provide preliminary evidence that significant correlation and predictive relationships exist between aspects of children's self-reported playfulness and quality of life.