Examines effects of school pressure on Japanese adolescents, focusing on cram schools ("juku") and extracurricular activities. Finds that adolescents experience negative emotional states in these activities. Adolescents have little residual free time, mostly spent in passive, recuperative activities, providing few opportunities for…

Examined the association between school connectedness and school environment, identifying ways to increase student connectedness. Data from the in-school and school administrator surveys of the National Study of Adolescent Health indicated that positive classroom management climates, participation in extracurricular activities, tolerant…

Discusses the Early Adolescent Helper program, which was designed to provide a safe and positive after-school environment for young people. In this program, 10- to 15-year-olds serve in day care, Head Start, latchkey programs, and at senior centers. (RJC)

Fostering Healthy Futures (FHF) is a randomized, controlled trial of an innovative preventive intervention for preadolescent youth (ages 9-11) placed in out-of-home care. The program is designed to promote child well-being by identifying and addressing mental health issues, preventing adolescent risk behaviors, and promoting competence. This paper…

This survey was conducted by the Gallup organization on the volunteering and giving behavior of U.S. teenagers as a supplement to a national survey on giving and volunteering among U.S. adults. Information was obtained from in-home personal interviews with 301 teenagers from 14 to 17 years of age. Results indicated that 58 percent of teenagers…

Low achieving regular class and educable mentally retarded (EMR) special class adolescents from a white, low-income, urban district were administered the learning potential procedure and were interviewed to determine differences in their after-school, non-academic activities. Few differences were reported in the social interests and activities of…

Explores some specific ways that the role of coach as exemplified in extracurricular activities can be carried by teachers into the classroom for adolescent students. Highlights include the collective quest that includes cooperative learning to encourage teamwork; ritual and passion that give a sense of belonging and security; and performance…

Effects of extracurricular activities on students' popularity and peer status in middle school and the process by which these effects occur were studied for 382 students. Findings support different gender dynamics regarding status and differential influences of activities on popularity and peer status. (SLD)

Investigated the relationship between participation in school and non-school based extracurricular activities and peer influence on adolescent substance use. Surveys of 3,189 11th graders from 33 midwestern high schools indicated that while school and non-school based extracurricular activities significantly influenced substance use, peer…

Compared weekly activities among four groups of high risk and typical high school students: potential dropouts at suicide risk; typical youth at suicide risk; potential dropouts not at suicide risk; and typical youth not at suicide risk. Of the 1,286 participants, 39.4% of high risk and 30.1% of typical high school students screened in at suicide…

KLICK! (Kids Learning In Computer Clubhouses!), a federally funded, after school, computer clubhouse operating in Michigan, is investigated as a means for supporting positive, engaging, and innovative after school activities for teens. A quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test survey suggests that participating in KLICK! is differentially effective…

Investigates how school and community contexts relate to associations among high school students' extracurricular participation, academic achievement, and educational ambition using the Alfred P. Sloan Study of Youth and Social Development 1992. Finds that social contexts differentially influence developmental outcomes associated with…

We examined the salience of multiple ecological factors (individual, family, peer, school, and community) as differential predictors of smoking for adolescent African-Americans and Whites in a sample of 2,029 7th-12th grade girls from a Mid-Atlantic southeastern state. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that significant predictors of…

Compared some characteristics of Black female high school dropouts with a group of graduates previously perceived as potential dropouts. Results indicated that students' age, employment status, involvement in church, and involvement in activities outside of school are related to Black female persistence in high school. (RC)

Examination of 30 mildly handicapped and 30 average high school students revealed that regular education students were more likely than special education students to be seriously involved in activities outside of schools. Sex differences were noted. Nonacademic activities provide an alternative path to achievement and self-esteem for low academic…