Is extracurricular participation associated with beneficial outcomes? Concurrent and longitudinal relations.

Abstract

The authors examined the relations between participation in a range of high school extracurricular contexts and developmental outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood among an economically diverse sample of African American and European American youths. In general, when some prior self-selection factors were controlled, 11th graders' participation in school clubs and organized sports was associated with concurrent indicators of academic and psychological adjustment and with drug and alcohol use. In addition, participation in 11th grade school clubs and prosocial activities was associated with educational status and civic engagement at 1 year after high school. A few of the concurrent and longitudinal relations between activity participation and development were moderated by race and gender. Finally, breadth of participation, or number of activity contexts, was associated with positive academic, psychological, and behavioral outcomes.

Regrouping: Organized Activity Involvement and Social Adjustment Across the Transition to High School

“…Involvement in specifi c types of activities may be important to consider, given the unique benefi ts of particular activities (e.g., Fredricks & Eccles, 2006) as well as the potential for ongoing involvement in the same activities to facilitate one' s social identity and existing peer relationships (e.g., Eccles & Barber, 1999). Findings from this study suggest that patterns of involvement across the high school transition varied by activity type.…”

“…Involvement in a sports activity that involves a sense of camaraderie and the achievement of a goal through teamwork may promote positive coping and facilitate peer affi liation ORGANIZED OUT-OF-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: SETTINGS FOR PEER RELATIONSHIPS (Eccles & Barber, 1999). Indeed, research to date has suggested that sports participation through the high school years is predictive of greater feelings of school engagement, better school performance, and increased selfesteem (Broh, 2002;Fredricks & Eccles, 2006) that in turn may lay the groundwork for friendship formation.…”

“…In addition, staying involved in the same type of activities across a transition is likely to build on existing strengths and help solidify both one' s social identity and existing peer relationships (e.g., Eccles & Barber, 1999). Studies examining the benefi ts of ongoing OA involvement have reported that more years of involvement in school clubs, performing arts, and student government was associated with better academic functioning, better psychological adjustment, and lower rates of substance use (Fauth, Roth, & Brooks-Gunn, 2007;Fredricks & Eccles, 2006). More years spent in sports was associated with better academic functioning and psychological adjustment, but also higher rates of alcohol use and delinquency (Broh, 2002;Fauth et al, 2007;Fredricks & Eccles, 2006).…”

How School can Teach Civic Engagement Besides Civic Education: The Role of Democratic School Climate

“…According to developmental systems models (Bronfenbrenner 1979;Overton 2010), individuals' degree of civic engagement is a result of the reciprocal relationships between individuals and contexts that constitute the main process of positive youth development (Lerner et al 2011;Sherrod 2007). Research has demonstrated that involvement in community life nurtures psychological, social, and cognitive growth for adolescents (Fredricks and Eccles 2006;Johnson et al 1998;Ludden 2011;Vieno et al 2007); moreover, youth civic engagement contributes to the effective running of society by providing additional services to the community (Flanagan and Sherrod 1998). The significant decline in the civic and political interest of youth in Western societies characterizing the end of the 20th century (Frazer 1999) is reducing the positive contribution that adolescent civic participation can provide to society.…”

The role of sports clubs in sports activity of students

“…Regular sports activity has on several occasions been proven beneficial for positive physical and psychological development in children and adults (4)(5)(6). Both, in children and adults, regular sports activity influences their health in a positive manner, as it lowers the level of cardiovascular risks (7).…”