Explored effects of psychoeducational intervention on adolescents' involvement in extracurricular activities, self-esteem, and locus of control. Randomly assigned 52 ninth graders to either empowerment or control group. Students in empowerment program maintained their level of involvement during transition to high school, time when participation…

This study compared scores on several indices of empathy and social competence in 39 adolescent males with behavioral disorders and 39 age-matched peers without behavioral disorders. The adolescents with behavioral disorders reported lower levels of empathy, participated in fewer extracurricular activities, had less frequent contacts with friends,…

Details, first-hand, start-up year experiences of the Hershey Montessori Farm School in Huntsburg, Ohio. Describes the emerging organization of the project, including: full-time staff roles; the typical daily schedule; occupation projects for the 2000-2001 school year; and projects for 2000-2001 related to humanities, creative expression, physical…

Used data from Iowa Youth and Families Project to examine parental influences on ninth and tenth graders' community activities. Found that although both parental modeling and parental reinforcement made significant differences in the extracurricular activity involvement of their children, parental reinforcement was most consequential when parents…

This study treated a key relationship in the developmental ecology of adolescence, friendships, as multidimensional and context specific. First, it examined 4 characteristics of friends (academic achievement, alcohol use, emotional distress, and extracurricular participation) as independent factors and as components in holistic friendship group…

Though teen pregnancy rates in the United States have dropped within the past decade, the teen birth rate in the US is still higher than any other developed nation. A recent study has found that youth who do not spend time in extracurricular activities after school are 37% more likely to become teen parents than are youth who spend time in…

This literature review is specifically interested in empirical research addressing the relationship between adolescent participation in extracurricular activities and adult political engagement. Relevant research is found in political science, psychology, education and sociology. In order to capture the literature most directly related to the main…

Describes an extra-curricular program for at-risk girls which uses community service and recreational activities to involve the girls in the school environment. Gives details on the target population and on program activities. States that participants seemed more self-assured, more mature, and took more responsibility for themselves. (RJM)

For young adolescents, the link that exists between learning during the school day and opportunities for educational and social growth in the afterschool hours warrants attention. By implementing the connections of this link, young people will be able to utilize the proper skills, experiences, and guidance necessary to become contributing members…

A survey of 210 gifted junior high students sought to verify literature-based social coping strategies used by this population. Factor analysis yielded five meaningful factors: denial of giftedness, peer acceptance, popularity/conformity, extracurricular involvement, fear of failure, and activity level. (SW)

This study investigated the role of three groups of risk and protective factors (e.g., individual, family, and extrafamilial) that are associated with teen pregnancy. Two groups of Latina adolescents (aged 15 to 19), nonpregnant/ nonparenting (NP; N = 48) and pregnant/parenting (P; N = 46), completed a demographic survey, an adolescent profile…

The impact of four influences--family, peers, part-time employment, and school-sponsored extracurricular activities--on the achievement patterns of high school students is examined in this research study. The main purpose of the study was to identify the specific processes in each of the four areas by which students' academic engagement and school…

The primary purpose of the Constitutional Rights Foundation's Youth Community Service (YCS) program is to give disadvantaged high school students the opportunity to develop leadership, communication, and other skills to design, organize, and implement community service. This evaluation of the Los Angeles (California) YCS program examines: (1) who…

Examines the effect of athletic-related activities on peer-group culture of students at a predominantly working-class middle school. Reports that certain extracurricular activities influence the male and female cultures of early adolescents by promoting specific values which are incorporated into the informal peer-culture of the school.…

Because an educated workforce is recognized as essential to ensuring competitiveness in a global economy, it is considered an issue of national concern how teens in the United States are faring educationally, especially compared with teens worldwide. This research brief summarizes the key findings from a larger review of more than 300 research…