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Past research has demonstrated an association between financial hardships and risk-taking behaviors (defined as delinquent or transgressive acts). However, this effect may differ based upon the provision of protective spaces, like those offered in extracurricular activities. In the current study, we examined the longitudinal effect of financial hardships on risk-taking in a sample of Australian adolescents (N = 3,852). We found experiences of financial hardship at the age of 12/13 predicted higher risk-taking 2 years later. Further, a longitudinal indirect effect was observed, where financial hardships were associated with higher risk-taking 4 years later via increased exposure to risk-taking peers. Non-sporting activity participation (e.g., debating, dance) was found to offset the risks associated with experiencing financial hardships. Participation in sports was not significantly related to any of our outcomes. Our data highlights how the provision of non-sporting activities may improve behavioral outcomes, especially among more financially disadvantaged adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Based on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory and Bornstein's specificity principle, the purpose of this study was to examine adolescents' time in out‐of‐school settings as a precursor of three types of problematic substance use in adulthood (i.e., binge drinking, regular marijuana use, and use of illicit drugs). Method: Adolescents (N = 978) reported the time they spent in four common out‐of‐school settings at ages 15 and 18: unsupervised time with peers, organized sports, other organized activities, and paid employment. At age 26, participants reported binge drinking, marijuana use, and illicit drug use. Results and Conclusions: Adolescents' time in out‐of‐school settings during high school predicted age 26 substance use over and above family and adolescent factors, including adolescents' substance use during high school. Adolescents' unsupervised time with peers increased the odds and frequency of binge drinking and regular marijuana use at age 26. Time in high school organized sports increased the odds of binge drinking at age 26, but not marijuana or illicit drug use. Time spent in other organized activities, such as community service and the arts, lowered the odds of illicit drug use whereas paid employment in high school was not related to age 26 substance use. Aligned with Bornstein's specificity principle, time spent in specific out‐of‐school settings during adolescence were differentially related to substance use problems in early adulthood, with some activities serving as a risk factor and other activities serving as a protective factor for young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As student activism continues to roil campuses, concerns have arisen about the mental health costs associated with activist-oriented civic engagement. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 42 self-identifying student activists from across the United States, this study examines how activists describe the impact of their activism on their mental health. While just under one third of the respondents perceived a positive effect, 60% of the respondents noted adverse consequences to their psychological well-being. Nevertheless, these respondents remained committed to continuing their activism. Four factors surfaced in activists' reflections on their mental health, which, while not responsible for positive mental health outcomes, did help offset the stress, exhaustion, and guilt associated with activism. These four factors included social capital or connection to others, a sense of purpose, effecting change, and self-care and collective care. Respondents credited these factors with helping them to sustain the emotionally and physically difficult work of activism. Implications for higher education policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health is a priority for high schools, but extant programs often focus on symptom reduction rather than promoting adolescents’ developmental assets.The goal of this study is to examine whether Art in Mind (AIM), a strengths-based after-school organized art activity tailored to fit the needs of adolescents with internalizing problems, can promote young people’s psychosocial adjustment and support their positive development.Using a quasi-experimental pre-program, post-program, and 5-month follow-up design, 50 students (mean age = 15.60; 68% female) from four Canadian high schools were assigned to AIM (n = 23) or to a waitlist condition (n = 27).Results from 2 × 2 mixed ANCOVAs revealed significant time by condition interactions reflecting greater improvement in the AIM group with regards to depressive mood at post-program, and to general self-efficacy, social functioning, and positive self-esteem at follow-up. Planned comparisons revealed several significant improvements between pre- and post-program or post-program and follow-up in the AIM group (effect sizes ranging between d = 0.27 and 0.61), while none were observed in the waitlist group.This study supports the potential of after-school organized activities as a strategy to effectively foster positive youth development in adolescents with internalizing symptoms. Further studies are needed to understand the essential implementation parameters and mechanisms of action in these programs.Objective: Mental health is a priority for high schools, but extant programs often focus on symptom reduction rather than promoting adolescents’ developmental assets.The goal of this study is to examine whether Art in Mind (AIM), a strengths-based after-school organized art activity tailored to fit the needs of adolescents with internalizing problems, can promote young people’s psychosocial adjustment and support their positive development.Using a quasi-experimental pre-program, post-program, and 5-month follow-up design, 50 students (mean age = 15.60; 68% female) from four Canadian high schools were assigned to AIM (n = 23) or to a waitlist condition (n = 27).Results from 2 × 2 mixed ANCOVAs revealed significant time by condition interactions reflecting greater improvement in the AIM group with regards to depressive mood at post-program, and to general self-efficacy, social functioning, and positive self-esteem at follow-up. Planned comparisons revealed several significant improvements between pre- and post-program or post-program and follow-up in the AIM group (effect sizes ranging between d = 0.27 and 0.61), while none were observed in the waitlist group.This study supports the potential of after-school organized activities as a strategy to effectively foster positive youth development in adolescents with internalizing symptoms. Further studies are needed to understand the essential implementation parameters and mechanisms of action in these programs.Methods: Mental health is a priority for high schools, but extant programs often focus on symptom reduction rather than promoting adolescents’ developmental assets.The goal of this study is to examine whether Art in Mind (AIM), a strengths-based after-school organized art activity tailored to fit the needs of adolescents with internalizing problems, can promote young people’s psychosocial adjustment and support their positive development.Using a quasi-experimental pre-program, post-program, and 5-month follow-up design, 50 students (mean age = 15.60; 68% female) from four Canadian high schools were assigned to AIM (n = 23) or to a waitlist condition (n = 27).Results from 2 × 2 mixed ANCOVAs revealed significant time by condition interactions reflecting greater improvement in the AIM group with regards to depressive mood at post-program, and to general self-efficacy, social functioning, and positive self-esteem at follow-up. Planned comparisons revealed several significant improvements between pre- and post-program or post-program and follow-up in the AIM group (effect sizes ranging between d = 0.27 and 0.61), while none were observed in the waitlist group.This study supports the potential of after-school organized activities as a strategy to effectively foster positive youth development in adolescents with internalizing symptoms. Further studies are needed to understand the essential implementation parameters and mechanisms of action in these programs.Results: Mental health is a priority for high schools, but extant programs often focus on symptom reduction rather than promoting adolescents’ developmental assets.The goal of this study is to examine whether Art in Mind (AIM), a strengths-based after-school organized art activity tailored to fit the needs of adolescents with internalizing problems, can promote young people’s psychosocial adjustment and support their positive development.Using a quasi-experimental pre-program, post-program, and 5-month follow-up design, 50 students (mean age = 15.60; 68% female) from four Canadian high schools were assigned to AIM (n = 23) or to a waitlist condition (n = 27).Results from 2 × 2 mixed ANCOVAs revealed significant time by condition interactions reflecting greater improvement in the AIM group with regards to depressive mood at post-program, and to general self-efficacy, social functioning, and positive self-esteem at follow-up. Planned comparisons revealed several significant improvements between pre- and post-program or post-program and follow-up in the AIM group (effect sizes ranging between d = 0.27 and 0.61), while none were observed in the waitlist group.This study supports the potential of after-school organized activities as a strategy to effectively foster positive youth development in adolescents with internalizing symptoms. Further studies are needed to understand the essential implementation parameters and mechanisms of action in these programs.Conclusions: Mental health is a priority for high schools, but extant programs often focus on symptom reduction rather than promoting adolescents’ developmental assets.The goal of this study is to examine whether Art in Mind (AIM), a strengths-based after-school organized art activity tailored to fit the needs of adolescents with internalizing problems, can promote young people’s psychosocial adjustment and support their positive development.Using a quasi-experimental pre-program, post-program, and 5-month follow-up design, 50 students (mean age = 15.60; 68% female) from four Canadian high schools were assigned to AIM (n = 23) or to a waitlist condition (n = 27).Results from 2 × 2 mixed ANCOVAs revealed significant time by condition interactions reflecting greater improvement in the AIM group with regards to depressive mood at post-program, and to general self-efficacy, social functioning, and positive self-esteem at follow-up. Planned comparisons revealed several significant improvements between pre- and post-program or post-program and follow-up in the AIM group (effect sizes ranging between d = 0.27 and 0.61), while none were observed in the waitlist group.This study supports the potential of after-school organized activities as a strategy to effectively foster positive youth development in adolescents with internalizing symptoms. Further studies are needed to understand the essential implementation parameters and mechanisms of action in these programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decision to enroll in organized after-school activities involves a gradual negotiation of adolescents' independence between family members who can hold contrasting views on adolescents' autonomy. Furthermore, less is known about the culturally grounded nature of this decision-making process generally observed among the Latinx community, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, where adolescents may serve as the cultural brokers to help their families navigate through certain cultural barriers outside the home. In this study, we analyzed semi-structured interviews from a diverse group of 34 Mexican-origin parent-adolescent dyads living in a Southwest metropolitan area. Results indicate that decision making on organized activities can occur across multiple distinct pathways that reflect unilateral and mutual decision making based on the parents' and adolescents' level of involvement. The adolescents' strong role as cultural brokers not only reflects a critical role of helping their parents navigate through the cultural barriers of the after-school world but can also empower them to have a greater voice within a context of positively developing a more equal basis of decision making in the parent-child dynamic. Findings from this study highlight the rich diversity among Mexican-origin families and can help further strengthen organized activities in being responsive to the diverse cultural practices of families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identification of modifiable factors associated with poor mental health is crucial to develop targeted and effective intervention strategies for prevention of mental distress and illness in the general population. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the association between low level of leisure-time physical activity, high sedentary time, low participation in organized activities, low social support, sleep problems, and mental distress in a large sample of Norwegian adults.Methods: A cross-sectional study was completed by 28,047 adults (≥18 years old) in southern Norway by filling out an online self-report questionnaire. Multivariable binary logistic regression models, stratified according to gender and adjusted for age and perceived financial situation, were used to examine possible associations between unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, participation in organized activities, social support, and mental distress.Results: Our results showed an increased odds of having mental distress among men reporting low leisure-time physical activity (OR: 1.18; 95%CI: 1.03-1.37), high sedentary time (1.32; 1.16-1.51), low involvement in organized activities (1.43; 1.25-1.64), low social support (2.55; 2.18-2.99), and sleep problems (7.29; 6.35-8.37) compared to the rest of the male population. For women, the results showed increased odds of mental distress among those reporting high sedentary time (1.25; 1.11-1.39), low involvement in organized activities (1.60; 1.42-1.80), low social support (2.71; 2.39-3.06), and sleep problems (5.78; 5.15-6.50) compared to the rest of the female population. For both men and women, results also indicated that mental distress was increased among younger adults and among those reporting financial difficulties compared to the rest of the population.Conclusion: Our results showed an association between unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, low participation in organized activities, low social support and mental distress, and that the strength of the association varied substantially. These findings provide increased knowledge about the relationship between modifiable lifestyle factors and mental health which should have implications for future public health efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescents' organized afterschool activities have been linked to their academic performance, but processes contributing to these relations are not well understood. This study tested two pathways linking activity intensity and activity quality in 6th grade to high school academic performance: adolescents' activities in 9th grade and adolescents' academic skills in 9th grade.Methods: Data were from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, a longitudinal study conducted at 10 sites in the United States. Data were collected from 918 participants (51% female) who were assessed in 6th grade (Age 12; middle school), 9th grade (Age 15; beginning of high school), and 12th grade (Age 18; end of high school).Results& Conclusions: Findings from structural equation models indicated that adolescents who had higher activity intensity and activity quality in 6th grade participated in activities with higher intensity and quality in 9th grade. These 9th grade activities formed an indirect path linking 6th grade activities to high school academic performance, including grades and number of advanced classes. In addition, 6th grade activity quality promoted adolescents' work orientations in 9th grade, a key academic disposition that then predicted grades and number of advanced classes in high school. These findings suggest that organized afterschool activities in middle school may prepare adolescents for academic success in high school via their participation in activities in 9th grade as well a stronger work orientation in 9th grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by Edward Zigler's proposition that programs serving children (birth through 12 years) can have long-term effects on well-being and development, we used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,258) to test two pathways by which early care and education (ECE) are linked to after-school organized activities in middle childhood and to problem behaviors in late adolescence and adulthood. In support of an activities pathway, we found children with more ECE hours and more epochs in center-based ECE settings from 1 to 54 months had more epochs in after-school organized activities from kindergarten to 5th grade, which then predicted less impulsivity and less police contact at age 26. In support of a child pathway, we found that more ECE hours and more epochs in center-based ECE settings were linked to externalizing problems in early childhood, which then predicted higher problem behaviors in middle childhood, late adolescence, and adulthood. Together, these pathways underscored the potential of direct and indirect links of ECE and after-school organized activities in relation to later development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grounded in bioecological theories, this mixed-method article examines aspects of culturally responsive organized activities. Study 1 used path analysis to quantitatively test relations between ethnic cultural features of activities (ways of integrating ethnic culture) and concurrent experiences (N = 150 Latino adolescents). Findings were mixed, such that some features (e.g., teaching ethnic culture) predicted positive (e.g., increased autonomy) and negative (e.g., emotional) experiences. Study 2 disentangled the nuances of ethnic culture by qualitatively exploring perspectives on three features (N = 34 Mexican-origin adolescent-parent dyads): ethnic cultural content, same-ethnic leaders/peers, and Spanish language use. Thematic analysis revealed the complexities of ethnic culture. Some parents and adolescents wanted activities that represented mainstream American culture; others wanted Latino ethnic culture, but were unhappy with the ways it was integrated into activities. Parents and adolescents thought their ethnic culture was misrepresented (e.g., Cinco de Mayo was celebrated as Mexican Independence Day) or represented narrowly (e.g., La Bamba was the school band's only Mexican song). Findings suggest that integrating ethnic cultural features is not an "all or nothing" decision, and how it is done matters considerably. Families' perspectives and voice would help ensure ethnic culture is integrated in authentic, preferred ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has related child participation in organized activities to health and academic benefits; however, participation may interfere with family meals. Examine whether parents perceive child participation in organized activities to interfere with family meals and how perceptions are related to the household eating environment. A cross-sectional analysis was completed using survey data collected in 2015-2016 as part of the Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults) cohort study. Survey participants were originally recruited in Minneapolis–St Paul schools in 1998-1999. The analytic subsample of parents (one per household, n=389, 69% female, 31% nonwhite race, mean age=31) had one or more children involved in an organized activity. Approximately 33% of households included a child aged 2 to 5 and no older child; two thirds of households included school-aged children (6 to 18 years). Parents reported family meal frequency, family meal scheduling difficulties, frequency of at-home meal preparation, and their own intake of fast food, fruit, and vegetables. Analyses compared household environment characteristics reported by parents who perceived low interference between organized activities and family meals to characteristics reported by parents who perceived moderate to high interference from at least one form of activity. Regression models included a dichotomous indicator of interference as the independent variable and were adjusted for parental and household characteristics. Among parents with children at any age, moderate to high interference was associated with lower family meal frequency, greater difficulty scheduling family meals, and more fast-food intake (all P ≤0.01). The perception of moderate to high interference was more common among parents who reported involvement in both sport and nonsport activities (P <0.001) and those with a school-aged child (P <0.001) vs those with only preschool-aged children. Follow-up research, including qualitative studies, is needed to identify the specific aspects of child participation in organized activities (eg, scheduled time of day) that may interfere with family meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study draws on concepts from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) within a positive youth development framework to postulate that participants in an after-school program will derive a sense of enjoyment and challenge in program activities when they perceive that the program supports their psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. SDT suggests that when programs support participant's need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, the participants will in turn experience greater motivation and program engagement. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 18 participants in Cool Girls, Inc. after-school programs (89% African American, Grades 2-12) found that youth experienced a sense of engagement and motivation through program activities that they felt promoted a sense of autonomy/independence and peer/adult connections. Age-related variations in perceived needs fulfillment and their relation to feeling engaged in the program were explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the contribution of positive and negative youth sport experiences (i.e., processes or experiences that occur in a particular activity or setting) to self-reported mental toughness among youth-aged cricketers. A sample of 308 male cricketers aged between 13 and 18 years self-reported mental toughness using the Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory (CMTI; Gucciardi & Gordon, 2009), with 187 of these cricketers also documenting their exposure to a variety of positive and negative developmental experiences. Confirmatory factor and internal reliability analyses supported the hypothesized mental toughness measurement model. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that a variety of developmental experiences were related to various mental toughness components, with initiative experiences evidencing the strongest overall relationship with mental toughness followed by negative peer influences. The number of years playing experience and hours per week training evidenced largely insignificant relationships with the exception of desire to achieve and attentional control components of mental toughness, as well as its global factor. Collectively, these findings lend support for the validity of the CMTI as a valid measure among adolescent cricketers, and highlight the importance of initiative and interpersonal experiences for mental toughness in cricket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to find out and verify relationships between the amount of organized activities (OAs) of children in preschool age, mother's trust in organismic development and maternal scaffolding quality during mother-child play. Thirty-four pairs of mothers and their children aged 52-83 months participated in this study. The data was collected through a questionnaire and by observation of the game. Results revealed that higher educated mothers and mothers with higher trust in organismic development showed less poor-quality scaffolding during play in comparison to mothers without higher education and to mothers with lower trust in organismic development. Although higher educated mothers can excessively structure their children's leisure time through OAs, there did not appear any effect of this on the autonomy support during the play and therefore on the scaffolding quality. This study brings a new view to issues of intensive parenting and the excessive structuring of children's time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural responsiveness is a key aspect of the quality of organized activities, yet has rarely been examined. Based on developmental theories and a theoretical framework for culturally responsive activities, the current study investigated the prevalence and correlates of two ethnic cultural features (i.e., ethnic cultural content & ethnic cultural respect) in organized activities. Using data from 154 Latino adolescents (Mage = 12.36, SD = .53; 59% Female) and parents, we examined associations between adolescent perceptions of both ethnic cultural features and their activity experiences; and associations between parent perceptions of both ethnic cultural features and parental involvement in the activity. Latino adolescents and parents in general perceived lower than average ethnic cultural content and moderate to high ethnic cultural respect in the reported activity. Both adolescents and parents were more likely to perceive ethnic cultural content and respect in activities where Latino youth were the numerical ethnic majority than in activities where Latino youth were the numerical ethnic minority. Latino adolescents’ perceptions of ethnic cultural respect were associated with more positive activity experiences, whereas their perceptions of ethnic cultural content were associated with more negative feelings. Latino parents’ perceptions of ethnic cultural content predicted higher involvement. To design culturally responsive activities, ethnic cultural features should be incorporated in a thoughtful, meaningful way that reflects both adolescents’ and parents’ perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research examining factors that predict youth’s involvement in organized activities is very limited, despite associations with positive outcomes. Using data from 1043 youth (49% female; 46.4% Hispanic, 35.4% African American, 14.0% Caucasian, and 4.2% other) from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, this study examined how characteristics of parents (supervision, warmth) and neighborhoods (perceived neighborhood safety and collective efficacy) predict patterns of adolescents’ involvement in organized activities concurrently (i.e., intensity) and longitudinally (i.e., type and breadth). Parental supervision predicted adolescents’ participation in organized activities across multiple waves. Neighborhood violence was positively associated with concurrent participation in organized activities after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), whereas higher neighborhood collective efficacy predicted greater breadth in organized activity participation across time. These findings have important implications regarding how to attract and sustain organized activity participation for low-income, urban youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation in organized activities has been largely regarded as beneficial for academic and socioemotional development for adolescents, but the impacts of various types of organized activities for adolescents at risk for maltreatment have been rarely tested. In this study, we investigated the differential impacts of five types of maltreatment exposure (physical maltreatment, sexual maltreatment, neglect, other type, and multiple types) on the associations between four types of organized activities (mentored groups, art and music clubs, sport clubs, and academic clubs) and academic and socioemotional development (school engagement, delinquency, depressive symptoms, and trauma symptoms) of adolescents who were investigated by Child Protective Services (CPS) for maltreatment exposure. Data came from a national, longitudinal sample of 790 adolescents in contact with CPS in the U.S. After controlling for demographic characteristics of participants and prior levels of each outcome, multiple linear regression models were fitted to the data with interactions between the organized activities and the maltreatment types. The main findings of this study included: 1) adolescents who participated in mentored groups, sport clubs, and academic clubs reported higher levels of school engagement; 2) adolescents who participated in academic clubs reported fewer depressive symptoms; 3) adolescents who participated in art and music clubs reported more trauma symptoms compared to non-participants; and 4) the effects of participation in mentored groups on delinquency and trauma symptoms differed by maltreatment type. These results indicate both possible benefits and risks of organized activity participation for adolescents with certain maltreatment exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic and behavioral (externalizing and internalizing problems) outcomes associated with trajectories of breadth of participation in organized activities were examined in a sample of 548 children. Four previously modeled trajectories from Kindergarten to Grade 4 were compared: no participation, increasing breadth, decreasing breadth, high and stable breadth. Potential confounding variables (i.e. sex, academic and behavioral indicators in Kindergarten, and mother's education) were included as covariates in the analyses, and the children's disruptive behavior status was tested as a moderator. Following the inclusion of the covariates, the children assigned to the high trajectory displayed lower internalizing problems than the children assigned to the no participation and decreasing trajectories. Children's disruptive behavior status did not moderate the associations between breadth of participation trajectories and outcomes. It thus appears that participation in a wider range of organized activities during childhood may help prevent subsequent internalizing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research suggests children’s involvement in organized activities predicts positive outcomes, although benefits for youth with psychosocial deficits remain unclear. This study examines if activity participation predicts response to a group therapy program for children with psychosocial deficits and if improvements depend on children’s functioning within the organized activity context. Participants were 178 children (M age = 9.6 years) enrolled in a group therapy program. Greater activity participation significantly predicted improvements in family functioning and social skills, suggesting the value of participation in organized activities for youth with psychosocial deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organized activities represent a potentially important context for the development of adolescent sociopolitical values, but few studies have examined longitudinal associations between youths' sociopolitical values and activity involvement. Adolescents ( N = 299, Time 1 Mage = 15.49, SD = .93, 62% female) reported on their organized activity involvement (volunteering, church, sports, arts/music, school and community clubs) and sociopolitical values (materialism, social dominance, authoritarianism, patriotism, spirituality) at baseline and one year later. Greater involvement in arts/music predicted lower spirituality and patriotism one year later and greater involvement in church predicted higher levels of spirituality and lower levels of social dominance one year later. Higher levels of materialism predicted less involvement in arts/music one year later and higher social dominance values predicted less involvement in volunteering one year later. Findings support the importance of organized activities in sociopolitical development, and suggest that sociopolitical values may guide decisions concerning future organized activity involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-being, including self- and academic perceptions, is a key element of Latino adolescents' experiences. One factor that may be related to well-being among Latino adolescents is organized activity (OA) involvement. Drawing on a risk and resilience framework and utilizing principles of positive youth development, the current study aimed to examine this relation using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) with nested data from 660 Latino-identified youth in the National Education Longitudinal Study: 88 (NELS:88). Furthermore, home language, sex, and family SES were explored as possible moderators of relations between dimensions of OA and well-being. After accounting for prior levels of well-being, results suggest that OA participation, particularly OA intensity, is related to greater self-worth, locus of control, and educational expectations, and that the4se relations may be even stronger for youth from low-SES backgrounds. Implications for future research and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sociopolitical values are hypothesized to form during adolescence, but the developmental and contextual origins of these values have been largely unexplored. A sample of 846 adolescents (Mage = 15.96, SD = 1.22, range = 13-20 years) reported on their organized activity involvement (volunteering, sports, church, community clubs, arts/music, school clubs) and their sociopolitical values (patriotism, authoritarianism, spirituality, social dominance, materialism). Structural equation models (controlling for demographics and accounting for shared variance among variables) indicated that there were unique associations between activities and values. Greater church and sports involvement was related to higher levels of spirituality. Involvement in sports was also related to higher levels of materialism and authoritarianism. Greater volunteer involvement was related to lower social dominance, and involvement in arts/music was associated with less patriotism. These findings suggest that organized activity involvement may provide a context for adolescents’ developing sociopolitical values. Implications and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organized after-school activities promote positive youth development across a range of outcomes. To be most effective, organized activities need to meet high-quality standards. The eight features of quality developed by the National Research Council's Committee on Community-Level Programs for Youth have helped guide the field in this regard. However, these standards have largely been defined in terms of universal developmental needs, and do not adequately speak to the growing ethnic and racial diversity within the United States, which is further complicated by issues of power and social class differences. Given U.S. population shifts and after-school funding priorities, the time has come to consider new ways to provide organized after-school activities that are responsive to youth's culture and everyday lives. The goal of this article is to explore how we can help ensure that after-school activities are culturally responsive and address the specific needs of the youth who participate in these activities. Based on theory and empirical evidence, we provide proposed practices of cultural responsiveness for each of the eight features of quality for program structure and staff. The article concludes with future directions for research and strategies to implement culturally responsive practices and harness resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify the trajectories of breadth of participation in organized activities during childhood and to examine the predictors of membership in these trajectories (child's individual and family characteristics measured in Kindergarten). A sample of 1038 children, recruited in Kindergarten, was assessed yearly between Kindergarten and grade 4. Semiparametric group-based modeling brought out four trajectories: the no participation group (13.5 percent), the increasing group (26.4 percent), the decreasing group (14.1 percent), and the high group (46.1 percent). Prosociality predicted membership in the no participation group, as compared with the increasing group. Social withdrawal predicted membership in the no participation group, as compared with the high group. High family income and higher maternal education predicted membership in the increasing, decreasing, and high trajectory groups, as compared with the no participation group. Higher paternal education predicted membership in the high group, as compared with the increasing group. Overall, family variables had a greater impact than individual variables on the probability that the child would participate in a broader range of organized activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to identify profiles of individual (identity, initiative, emotion regulation, and teamwork and social skills) and social experiences (social integration in the activity peer group and support from the activity leader) in organized activities and examine activity-related and youth-related characteristics associated with profile membership. A total of 413 youths (57% girls; M age = 14.44) involved in 33 different activities were surveyed. Three distinct profiles emerged from the data, characterized by low, average, and high scores on both individual and social experiences, respectively. Membership in these profiles was predicted by the type of activity, the intensity of participation, and the extent to which youths experienced “flow” while participating. Overall, this study revealed that most youths reported high frequencies of positive individual and social experiences in their organized activities and that few activity-related and youth-related characteristics predicted profile membership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to test a mediation model in which social skills mediate the relationship between participation in organized activities and conduct problems among elementary school children. Two moderators of these associations were also examined, namely, gender and reception of special education services. A total of 563 children (45% girls; M[age] [=] 8.44) were surveyed. The findings revealed that, after controlling for important covariates, more frequent activity participation predicted better social skills, which, in turn, predicted fewer subsequent conduct problems among children. These associations were not moderated by gender or reception of special education services. These findings suggest that organized activities may provide a positive developmental context for children with conduct problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How adolescents spend their time has long-term implications for their educational, health, and labor market outcomes, yet surprisingly little research has explored the time use of students across days and semesters. The current study used longitudinal daily diary data from a sample of college students attending a large public university in the Northeastern US ( n = 726, M = 18.4) that was followed for 14 days within each of seven semesters (for up to 98 diary days per student). The study had two primary aims. The first aim was to explore demographic correlates of employment time, organized activity time, and academic time. The second aim was to provide a rigorous test of the time trade-off hypothesis, which suggests that students will spend less time on academics when they spend more time on employment and extracurricular activities. The results demonstrated that time use varied by gender, parental education, and race/ethnicity. Furthermore, the results from multi-level models provided some support for the time trade-off hypothesis, although associations varied by the activity type and whether the day was a weekend. More time spent on employment was linked to less time spent on academics across days and semesters whereas organized activities were associated with less time on academics at the daily level only. The negative associations between employment and academics were most pronounced on weekdays. These results suggest that students may balance certain activities across days, whereas other activities may be in competition over longer time frames (i.e., semesters). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study investigated social capital as a way through which youths' organized activities promote their future adjustment. Specifically, we examined social mediators of the associations between intensity, duration, and breadth of participation from age 14 to 17 and adjustment at age 18. Two social mediators were tested: support from the activity leader and social integration into the activity peer group. In addition, we examined how these mediation effects vary across gender. The sample consisted of 228 French Canadian adolescents (65 % girls). Youths were surveyed yearly from age 12 to 18. Controlling for prior adjustment at age 12, greater duration of participation from age 14 to 17 was associated with lower problematic alcohol use and higher civic engagement at age 18 through support from the activity leader. In addition, for boys only, greater duration of participation was associated with fewer subsequent depressive symptoms through social integration into the activity peer group. Overall, our results suggest that sustained participation allows youths to develop positive social experiences within organized activities, which, in turn, promote their future adjustment. Moreover, boys might benefit more from social experiences in organized activities than girls, at least with respect to depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objectives of this study were: a) to examine the influence of an 18-week basic artistic gymnastics program on fundamental movement skills (FMS) development in seven-year-old children; b) to determine correlations between children's daily activities and successful performance of FMS and basic artistic gymnastics skills. Methods: Seventy five first grade primary school children took part in this study. A physical education teacher specialized in artistic gymnastics conducted a gymnastics program for 18 weeks, three times a week. The level of gymnastics skills and FMS were identified at the beginning and at the end of the program. The level of gymnastics skills was evaluated by performance of eight artistic gymnastics skills, while FMS were evaluated by the use of FMS-polygon. Physical activity and inactivity was evaluated by using a proxy-questionnaire "Netherlands Physical Activity Questionnaire? (NPAQ). Findings: According to the dependent samples t test, significant differences were found in the FMS-polygon and all gymnastics skills before and after the 18-week gymnastics program. Increasing correlations were established over time between gymnastics skills and the FMS-polygon. Unorganized daily activity of children significantly correlated with their mastering of gymnastics skills and FMS. The presented findings confirm: (1) the thesis that basic artistic gymnastics skills and FMS could be developed simultaneously, (2) the theory of positive transfer of similar skills between FMS and artistic gymnastic skills. Conclusion: Mastering basic artistic gymnastics skills will provoke improvement of FMS and finally become a prerequisite for successful introduction of learning more complex gymnastics skills. The obtained results imply that an increase of children's unorganized daily activities can improve the mastering of basic gymnastics skills and simultaneously the development of FMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research suggests that youths' engagement in out-of-school time programs may be a crucial factor linking program participation to positive outcomes during adolescence. Guided by the theoretical concept of flow and by stage-environment fit theory, the present study explored correlates of engagement in youth programs. Engagement was conceptualized as the extent to which youth found the program activities enjoyable, interesting, and challenging. The current study examined how program content, monetary incentives, and youth demographic characteristics were linked to youth engagement among a sample of primarily low-income middle and high school youth attending 30 out-of-school programs ( n = 435, 51 % female). Results from multilevel models suggested that program content and staff quality were strongly associated with youth engagement. Youth who reported learning new skills, learning about college, and learning about jobs through activities in the program were more engaged, as were youth who found the staff caring and competent. Results demonstrated that the link between learning content for the future and engagement was stronger for older youth than younger youth. In addition, there was a trend suggesting that providing a monetary incentive was associated negatively with youth engagement. Taken as a whole, these findings have important implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in understanding the characteristics of out-of-school time programs that engage older youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrative model for child development and ecodevelopmental theory suggest that macro factors, such as socioeconomic status, ethnicity, culture, and immigration influence the settings in which adolescents engage. The goal of this investigation was to use a combination of deductive and inductive qualitative analysis to describe the mechanisms by which these macro factors might be related to Mexican-origin adolescents' participation in organized after-school activities. Qualitative data were collected through focus group interviews with 44 adolescents, 50 parents, and 18 activity leaders from 2 neighborhoods that varied in ethnic composition and average family income. Results indicated that family socioeconomic status might be related to adolescents' participation through financial resources and parents' work. Ethnicity was identified as a predictor of participation via experiences with ethnic discrimination, particularly in the neighborhood with a low percentage of Hispanic families. Cultural values and practices were related to participants' preferences for particular activities (e.g., bilingual, church-sponsored) and adolescents' participation in activities. Immigration seemed to be a factor in parents' familiarity with and beliefs about organized activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context is important in facilitating healthy youth development. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between adult perception of neighborhood and youth engagement in organized activities. This study is a secondary data analysis of 64,076 parents and guardians of school-age youth and adolescents (6-17 years), participating in the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. Linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between neighborhood characteristics, including constructs for social capital, physical condition, resource availability, and safety, and youth engagement through participation in sports, clubs, other creative events, and volunteer service. Neighborhood characteristics were significantly associated with the odds of multiple forms of youth engagement even with adjustment for individual and family-level demographic characteristics. Findings support assessment of neighborhood context during health education and behavior counseling in addition to capacity building for deliberate mechanisms of community development offering youth the ability to connect and engage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We investigate class differences in youth activity participation with interview, survey, and archival data from a diverse sample of parents (n = 51) in two schools. Findings point toward structural rather than cultural explanations. Working- and middle-class parents overlap in parenting logics about participation, though differ in one respect: middle-class parents are concerned with customizing children’s involvement in activities, while working-class parents are concerned with ensuring safety and social mobility for children through participation. Like financial constraints among the working class, social institutions are implicated in class differences. Schools act as an equalizing institution by offering low-cost activities; yet, contribute to class differences by offering different activities to working- and middle-class youth. Opportunities for working-class youth to participate in non-school activities are few due to the scarcity of community organizations in their neighborhood, while middle-class families are heavily involved in out-of-school activities. We explore the implications of our findings for educational stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Identity research has focused primarily on outcomes associated with identity formation. Far less attention, however, has been given to understanding the facilitating contextual elements of this process. This qualitative study examined a context, a 2-week adventure recreation program for youth, quantitatively shown in previous research to have promoted identity development. The program took place in Idaho’s Salmon-Challis National Forest and involved rafting, backpacking, mountain biking, and a variety of other outdoor activities. Data were gathered from 23 female and 22 male participants, ages 11 to 15 (M = 13.2, SD = .89). Seven distinct categories emerged from the analysis related to participants’ perceptions of the program experience including: (a) new experiences, (b) challenge, (c) supportive relationships, (d) acquisition of new skills and knowledge, (e) increased self-confidence, (f) fun, and (g) new self-perceptions. A preliminary framework incorporating the identified elements is proposed. The findings add to the understanding of identity formation antecedents and provide guidance regarding the intentional design of contexts to promote identity development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Motivation theories suggest that parents are an integral support for adolescents' participation in organized activities. Despite the importance of parents, the field knows very little about how parents' own experiences in activities influence the participation of their adolescent children. The goals of this study were to examine (a) the patterns of intergenerational continuity and discontinuity in parents' activity participation during adolescence and their adolescents' activity participation, and (b) the processes underlying each of these patterns within Mexican-origin families. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through three in-depth interviews conducted with 31 seventh-grade adolescents and their parents at three time points over a year. The quantitative data suggested there was modest intergenerational continuity in activity participation. There were three distinct patterns: nine families were continuous participants, seven families were continuous nonparticipants, and 15 families were discontinuous, where the parent did not participate but the youth did participate in activities. The continuous participant families included families in which parents valued how organized activities contributed to their own lives and actively encouraged their adolescents' participation. The continuous nonparticipant families reported less knowledge and experience with activities along with numerous barriers to participation. There were three central reasons for the change in the discontinuous families. For a third of these families, parents felt strongly about providing a different childhood for their adolescents than what they experienced. The intergenerational discontinuity in participation was also likely to be sparked by someone else in the family or an external influence (i.e., friends, schools). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This longitudinal study identified common summer care arrangements for adolescents and examined whether those arrangements predicted risk for obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile for age and gender) the following school year. Participants were a nationally representative sample of 1766 adolescents ages 10–18 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics–Child Development Supplement. Results showed that, beyond measures of BMI taken before the summer and several demographic aspects known to predict obesity, youth whose summer arrangements involved regular participation in organized activities (e.g., sports) showed significantly lower risk for obesity than other youth. This was most evident during early adolescence. Youth whose regular summer arrangement was predominated by parent care without organized activity participation showed the greatest risk for obesity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents an analysis of new empirical evidence on parenting values and orientations to children’s education and social class. A survey of parents with children involved in organized activities was undertaken, followed by a series of semi-structured interviews with a sample strategically identified with reference to both social class and subjective orientations to education. We argue that within recent literature there has been a tendency towards overstating the internal homogeneity of middle-class and working-class experiences. Our data reveal diverse parental orientations to their children’s education within, as well as across, classes. We analyse this diversity in relation to varied circumstances, and draw out some implications for theories of inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite increased focus on the effects of organized activities on youth development, there is currently no consensus about the best way to assess various dimensions of involvement. This article explores the complexities of assessing involvement and focuses specifically on the following organized activity dimensions: (a) breadth, (b) intensity, (c) duration/consistency, and (d) engagement. For each dimension, the article examines the theoretical underpinnings for why it is important to measure the dimension, presents measurement issues that have arisen in previous studies, describes how the dimension relates to developmental outcomes, and offers recommendations for assessing it in future use. A conceptual model is presented to describe issues that are important to consider when assessing various dimensions of organized activity involvement in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In Portugal, two sports systems exist, one through schools and the other in community clubs. The purpose was to determine the impact of extra-curricular sports (EC sports) on boys’ and girls’ moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). 208 adolescents (79 boys and 129 girls), between 12 and 18 years old, wore an accelerometer over seven days. Four EC sport categories based on reported involvement were: no sports, school sports, club sports, both sports. Multivariable logistic regression was used to study the association of EC sports, age, gender and BMI on the adolescent’s MVPA. The school sport context was more relevant for girls than clubs sport; however the opposite pattern emerged for boys. BMI was not related to adolescent’s MVPA. EC sports increase the likelihood of achieving PA guidelines. The unique social and environmental contexts of school and club sports deserve additional attention in youth activity research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The current cross-sectional study investigated the links between various dimensions of organized activity involvement and depressive symptoms, loneliness, and peer victimization in an ethnically and economically diverse sample of adolescents ( N = 152; 58% female). Results indicate that adolescents who were involved in organized activities for more years also reported lower levels of loneliness. There was evidence of diminishing returns when adolescents were very highly involved in organized activities; those who were either under- or over-involved reported the highest levels of depressive symptoms. Conversely, findings indicate that adolescents who participated in a narrow or wide range of activity contexts reported the lowest levels of depressive symptoms. In addition, results suggested that the relation between organized activity involvement and adjustment differs among adolescents from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings from the current study also underscore the importance of considering multiple indices of activity involvement when assessing its association with adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to examine initial levels and rates of change in the intensity and breadth of participation in organized activities during the adolescent years, and how these participation practices were related to youth outcomes in later adolescence. The main objectives were (a) to examine growth curves of intensity and breadth of participation from Grades 7 through 11 and their interrelations, and (b) to test the associations between these dimensions of participation and academic orientation, risky behaviors, internalizing problems, and civic development in Grade 11. A homogenous sample of 299 youth (mean age = 13.37, SD = .41; 62% girls) were surveyed annually using questionnaires and phone interviews. The main results revealed that (a) even though both intensity and breadth of participation decreased over time, intensity of participation showed steeper declines by later grades, and (b) initial levels of participation were better predictors of later outcomes than rates of change over time. Regardless of the levels of change taking place over time, results revealed that youth with high initial levels of participation (both intensity and breadth) were more committed to school and developed more positive values towards society by Grade 11 than those who participated less. This might suggest that a high level of participation during early-to-mid-adolescence is particularly important when it comes to later outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines patterns of organized activity and their concurrent association with academic achievement, problem behavior, and perceived adult support in a sample of urban, early adolescent, middle school students (mean age = 13.01; N = 2,495). Cluster analyses yielded six activity profiles: an uninvolved group (n = 775, 31.1%), a multiply involved group (n = 247, 9.9%), a sports group (n = 469, 18.8%), a church group (n = 486, 19.5%), a school and community clubs group (n = 278, 11.1%), and a community clubs and sports group (n = 240, 9.6%). These profiles are differentially associated with academic achievement, problem behavior, and adult support. While some form of organized activity is generally associated with more positive outcomes, the school and community and community and sports profiles also report the highest levels of delinquency, drug use, and school suspensions. Results support the utility of using person-centered approaches to studying youth-organized activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, the authors examined relations between educational, civic, and occupational success in young adulthood and the duration and intensity of participation in organized activities during high school. They also examined these relations as a function of sponsorship (i.e., school- vs. community-sponsored organized activities). They found that youths who participated in organized activities for 2 years demonstrated more favorable educational and civic outcomes in young adulthood than those who participated for 1 year. More intensive participation was also associated with greater educational, civic, and occupational success in young adulthood—particularly among youths who participated in activities for 2 years. Educational attainment often mediated the relations between temporal measures of participation and young adult civic and occupational outcomes. With the exception of analyses examining occupational success, findings varied little as a function of sponsorship. Of note, analyses revealed that both temporal measures of participation were positively associated with young adult outcomes as many as 8 years after high school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this prospective study was to examine the relations between organized activity involvement and internalizing and externalizing symptoms across four years of high school. Participants were 240 adolescents who varied in their risk for psychopathology. Information about adolescents’ activity involvement and internalizing and externalizing symptoms were provided by both self- and mother-reports. Structural equation modeling revealed that the prospective models fit the data well. In addition to showing that activity involvement and psychopathology were quite stable over the high school years, we found reciprocal effects for activity involvement and internalizing symptoms at some, although not all, time points. Specifically, controlling for prior symptoms and risk (i.e., maternal depression history), more activity involvement in tenth grade predicted fewer internalizing symptoms in eleventh grade, which then predicted more activity involvement in twelfth grade. No reciprocal relations were found for externalizing problems. These findings highlight the importance of examining internalizing symptoms as both a predictor and outcome of activity involvement during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study examined psychopathology as a predictor and outcome of organized activity involvement during high school among 198 adolescents who varied in risk for psychopathology as a function of their mother's depression history. Higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in eighth grade significantly predicted lower levels of involvement in academic clubs during high school, over and above risk and SES. Tobacco use prior to high school predicted lower levels of involvement overall and in academic clubs and performance arts. Controlling for psychopathology prior to high school, higher levels of activity involvement were associated with lower levels of externalizing symptoms, less tobacco use, and fewer diagnoses of behavior disorders and substance abuse in 12th grade. The positive association between risk and adolescent psychopathology was not buffered by adolescent activity involvement. Overall, these findings suggest that involvement in organized activities may contribute to lower levels of externalizing psychopathology during high school even when controlling for prior psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study inventoried the types of developmental and negative experiences that youth encounter in different categories of extracurricular and community-based organized activities. A representative sample of 2,280 11th graders from 19 diverse high schools responded to a computer-administered protocol. Youth in faith-based activities reported higher rates of experiences related to identity, emotional regulation, and interpersonal development in comparison with other activities. Sports and arts programs stood out as providing more experiences related to development of initiative, although sports were also related to high stress. Service activities were associated with experiences related to development of teamwork, positive relationships, and social capital. Youth reported all of these positive developmental experiences to occur significantly more often in youth programs than during school classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]