Browsing by Subject "Student activities"

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The effect of extracurricular activity participation on the relationship between parent involvement and academic performance in a sample of third grade children
(2007) Roberts, Gabrielle Amy, 1978-; Keith, Timothy, 1952-
Previous research has suggested that parent involvement with children at home and in school is positively related to academic performance. Children with little to no parent involvement are at a distinct academic disadvantage. In light of this disadvantage, the present study examined the possibility that participation in extracurricular activities might serve as an alternative option for the school success of these children. Past research has found a significant positive association between participation in extracurricular activities and performance in school. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that the relationship between parent involvement and school performance depended upon participation in extracurricular activities. In other words, children with low parent involvement who participated in extracurricular activities were expected to academically outperform children with low parent involvement who did not participate in extracurricular activities. This study also contributed to the literature on parent involvement and extracurricular activity participation by testing the relationship of each to academic performance. Participants came from a longitudinal, nationally representative data set and included 8410 third grade children. Parent involvement was measured with a composite variable including home-based and school-based involvement items (derived from parent and teacher report). Extracurricular activity participation was measured by parent report. Each child's academic performance was measured by teacher report of academic competence in reading and math. This study controlled for sex, race/ethnicity, previous achievement and family structure. Contrary to what was expected, the interaction between parent involvement and extracurricular activities was not significant. Although the relation between extracurricular activity participation and academic performance was statistically significant, that of parent involvement and academic performance was not. Supplementary analyses revealed a positive, statistically significant association between school-based parent involvement and school performance; a negative, statistically significant relation was found between home-based parent involvement and school performance. Previous research supporting home-based parent involvement has utilized parent training provided by schools and teachers. Results of the current study, which did not involve formal parent training, may therefore suggest that children stand to gain more from home-based parent involvement when schools and teachers encourage, train, and support parents. In response to the encouraging finding with respect to extracurricular activity participation, future researchers may wish to delve further into the topic by examining the activities or characteristics of those activities that prove most beneficial for the academic performance of children.
Links between school-based extracurricular activity participation and adolescent development
(2003) Feldman, Amy Florence; Matjasko, Jennifer
Utilizing the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, three separate studies were conducting regarding the relationship of school-based extracurricular activity participation (EAP) and adolescent development. Chapter 1 examined the profiles of individual activity participants, determined whether profiles changed dependent upon activity grouping style, and identified portfolios of adolescent schoolbased EAP. The most common activities are basketball, baseball, track, and football. Non-participation is also common. Academic club participation is actually not as common. Non-participants are older, come from families with lower incomes, have lower grades, and are from larger schools having implications for educational and social policy in terms of availability of activities in schools and exclusion from participation. Generally, style of activity grouping did little in varying the overall descriptions of participants from each other and from the individual activity analysis. However, subtle details were affected by activity conceptualization and some of the unique patterns indicated in the individual analysis were better preserved by certain groupings. The most common participation portfolios are multiple activity types and sports only participation. The four most common portfolios in the multiple activity type group were sports/performance, sports/academic, sports/academic/performance/school, and sports/school. Chapter 2 utilized individual, family, peer, and school contexts to differentiate school-based EAP and non-participation. Adolescentsí GPA (individual), parental involvement (family), friendís GPA (peer), and school attachment and school size (school) were associated with each type of activity participation over nonparticipation. The individual and peer factors had the strongest links to activity participation in general, and in differentiating the types of participation. The findings lend support to suggestions of the strong role of social norms in adolescent activity participation. Participation was more likely in schools with less than 2/3 percent White students and Asians participated at almost the same rate as Whites. Chapter 3 investigated the influence of adolescent school-based EAP on well-being, delinquency, and substance use over time. Sports and multiple activity type participation were related to alcohol use and delinquency but did not increase the variance explained over background variables. Relationships between EAP and these outcomes over time were moderated by school attachment, school size, and parental involvement.
Low-income children's participation in out-of-school activities: predictors, developmental differences, and consistency over time
(2006) Epps, Sylvia Rachel; Huston, Aletha C.
This study is an in-depth analysis of the predictors of low-income children’s participation in activities. Developmental differences, consistency, and change over time were assessed using data from the New Hope project, an anti-poverty demonstration designed to increase family economic well being. Parents were randomly assigned to a program group with access to wage supplements, health care subsidies, and child care subsidies when they worked full time, or to a control group without access to New Hope services. Parents and children were interviewed 2, 5, and 8 years after random assignment. Teachers also completed a survey at each measurement period. The framework guiding this study is based on a reciprocal model that challenges unidirectional theories, allowing for tests of specific pathways by which activities affect child well being. Using all three waves of data, relationships between participation, family characteristics (economics and parenting practices), and child characteristics (peer connections, school engagement, future expectations, behavior, and academic achievement) were examined for the full sample and for age cohorts (middle childhood and adolescence). This study compared parents’ report of their children’s participation in sports to participation in lessons, clubs, and religious activities to make a distinction between important predictors of sports verses the other activities. The overarching questions were: (a) what are the individual and family antecedents of children’s participation in sports, lessons, clubs, and religious activities? (b) How consistent are these antecedents over middle childhood and adolescence. Results indicate that participation was highest when children were aged 12 – 15; participation peaked during middle childhood and dropped off by age 16 -18; boys participated in sports more often; girls participated in other activities more often. Parenting was consistently related to high participation over time. Parenting control and monitoring was particularly important for younger children’s participation in other activities, and parent approval and regular family routines was important for older children. Additionally, it seems that what children’s peers are doing and their social behaviors are consistently related to high participation as well. Children’s future expectations, academic achievement, and family economics were not consistently related to participation. Implications for policy are discussed.