Darginidou, L. et all.: Physical activities, recreational activities and social skills… Sport Science 10 (2017) Suppl 1: 76-82 76 PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SOCIAL SKILLS OF ADOLESCENTS Lemonia Darginidou, Dimitris Goulimaris, Georgios Mavridis and Maria Genti Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Original scientific paper Abstract Dance activities are recreational activities which contribute to the vitality of a person who is thus capable of handling his/her emotions and develop social relationships. The experience acquired by a young person who participates in recreational activities contributes to his/her personal and social evolution. Teaching social skills through recreational activities improves the social behavior of children and adolescents in the best possible way. Cooperating skills and empathy are factors of positive social behavior, while quick temperedness and disruptiveness are negative factors (Junttila, Voeten, Kaukiainen & Vauras, 2006). The aim of the study was to investigate whether participating in dance activities and group physical activities contributes to the differentiation of the social skills of adolescents and whether this differentiation is influenced by the gender. The data collection was conducted with the School Social Behavior Scale (SSBS, Merrell, 1993). The sample of the research consisted of 180 adolescent, junior high school students aged 13 who were separated into three groups: a) dancers b) athletes c) non athletes. The results showed that adolescent dancers had better means in cooperating skills and were less disruptive in the group than non athletes. Concerning quick temperedness and empathy, there were no statistically significant differences among the groups. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences, concerning gender. Key Words: Physical activities, dance activities, social behavior, social skills Introduction Recreational activities play a most important role in the personal well being of a person, covering values and necessities of life. Participating in recreational activities creates social relationships, develops positive emotions and offers additional skills and knowledge (Brajsa-Zganec, Merkas & Sverko, 2011). Dance activities are recreational activities which contribute to the vitality of a person who is able to manipulate his/her emotions and develop social relationships. That is why participating in such activities has been the subject of various researches (Bebetsos & Goulimaris, 2014; Goulimaris, Filippou & Koupani, 2016; Voutsina & Goulimaris, 2016). The benefits from participating in similar physical activities influence multiply both one’s psychological level and his/her physical condition (Genti, Goulimaris & Yfantidou, 2009; Goulimaris, Mavridis, Genti & Rokka, 2014; Bebetsos & Goulimaris, 2015). Consequently, the above specific activity has been scientifically approached lately by various aspects (Dalakis, Yfantidou, Tsitskari, Costa & Tzetzis, 2016; Goulimaris, 2016; Goulimaris, 2015; Goulimaris, Koutsouba & Giosos, 2008; Papakostas, Goulimaris & Douma, in press). The development of social skills is an important process during childhood and adolescence. Any lack or reduction of social skills may be connected to development and behavior problems as well as psychological health problems (Lugnegard, Hallerback & Gillberg, 2011; Mahan & Matson, 2011; Matson & Wilkins, 2009; Worley & Matson, 2011). On the contrary, their enforcement leads to the desirable social results (Hay, Payne & Chadwick, 2004). Thus, teaching social skills through recreational activities improves children and adolescents’ behavior in the best possible way. During adolescence, young people spend a lot of time after school participating actively in structured or non structured recreational activities (Csikszentmihalyi, Rathunde & Whalen, 1993). The social skills of adolescents who participate in dance activities have hardly been studied and since adolescence influences social skills, it is interesting to investigate them. There are many definitions concerning social skills. The World Health Organization defines social skills as the ability obtained by people in order to adapt and negotiate effectively, depending on the demands and challenges of everyday life (WHO, 1999). They are the necessary skills for the effective communication, verbal or non verbal, with other people, a fact which facilitates the establishment of relationships, the participation in small or larger groups such as social groups, the management of close relationships, the accurate expression of views and ideas etc (Brooks, 1984). Social skills facilitate human communication (Davies, Cooper, Kettler, Elliot, 2015; Johnson & Johnson,1989; Nelson-Jones, 1990; Erozkan, 2013), they are connected with success in school (Kennedy,1988; McClelland, Morrison & Holmes, 2000; Strahan, 2003; Petitpas, Van Raalte, Cornelius & Presbrey, 2004; Sung & Chang, 2010) and they constitute a way of preventing unhealthy behaviors (Botvin & Griffin, 2014; Dennis, 1996; Popov, 1994; O’Hearn & Gatz, 1999; 2002). They also interact with social learning, shaping the personality of adolescents while they grow up (Cole & Cole, 2001; Totan, Ozyesil, Deniz & Kiyar, 2014). Acquiring social skills is a requirement in order to find a job and be professionally successful and productive (Mercier, 1992; Rosenberg, Helmer & Morote, 2012).