Participation in Activities Outside of School Hours in Relation to Problem Behavior and Social Skills in Middle Childhood

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that participating in activities outside of school hours is associated with lower dropout rates, enhanced school performance, improved social skills, and reduced problem behaviors. However, most prior studies have been limited to small populations of older children (&g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of school health 2010-03, Vol.80 (3), p.119-125
Main Authors: Howie, LaJeana D., Lukacs, Susan L., Pastor, Patricia N., Reuben, Cynthia A., Mendola, Pauline
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
activity participation
African American Students
Athletics
Behavior Problems
Behavioural problems
Child
Child Behavior
Child development
Child Health
Childhood
Children
Children & youth
Children's social skills
Childrens health
Clubs
Comparative Analysis
Data Collection
Dropout Rate
Educational Attainment
Educational Environment
Extracurricular Activities
Family Structure
Female
Gender Differences
Hispanic American Students
Humans
Influence
Institutional Characteristics
Interpersonal Competence
Leisure Activities
Male
middle childhood
National Surveys
Nursing
Place of Residence
Poverty
Preadolescents
Racial Differences
School Activities
School Safety
Social aspects
Social Behavior
Social Development
Social Problems
Social skills
Social skills in children
Socioeconomic Influences
Sports
Sports clubs
State Surveys
Statistical Analysis
Student activities
Team Sports
United States
White Students
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Summary:BACKGROUND: Research has shown that participating in activities outside of school hours is associated with lower dropout rates, enhanced school performance, improved social skills, and reduced problem behaviors. However, most prior studies have been limited to small populations of older children (>12 years). This analysis focuses on children aged 6 to 11 to assess the potential association between participation in activities outside of school hours and behavior in middle childhood in a nationally representative survey. METHODS: Estimates were based on 25,797 children from the 2003‐2004 National Survey of Children's Health. Outside of school activity was defined as participating in sports teams/lessons, clubs/organizations, or both at least once in the past year. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the differences in behavior problems and social skills adjusting for sociodemographic factors, among children classified by participation in outside of school activities. RESULTS: Seventy‐five percent of children participated in outside of school activities: 23% in sports, 16% in clubs, and 36% in both clubs and sports. Activity participation differed by gender, race/ethnicity, type of school, poverty status, family structure, household education, and school and community safety. Children participating in both sports and clubs had higher social skills index scores, but no significant difference in problem behavior scores compared with children who did not participate in any outside of school activity. CONCLUSION: Children participating in both sports and clubs had greater social competence during middle childhood compared with children who did not participate in any outside of school activities.
ISSN:0022-4391
1746-1561
DOI:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00475.x