Peer aggression and victimization are currently of national concern due to their high association with maladjustment. Moreover, peer aggression and victimization can occur as different forms (overt, relational) and functions (proactive, reactive), which are usually not examined within the same model. Peer aggression and victimization within the school context can be the result of individually developed negative social cognitions. These negative cognitions, based within social information processing theory, include outcome expectancies and values for pain and suffering. In addition, positive cognitions such as perceived social competence can decrease adverse outcomes such as peer aggression and victimization. This project seeks to take previous research and expand upon it in two ways: 1) examine overt, relational, proactive, and reactive aggression and victimization as separate constructs, within the same model, in association with outcome values, expectancies, and perceived social competence; and 2) examine the potential of extracurricular activities to serve as a buffer between maladjusted cognitions and aggression and victimization. In addition, this study will examine if these relationships differ by activity type, age and gender. Participants included 371 middle and high school students. Findings point toward the importance of examining the separate functions of aggression and victimization, as outcome values and expectancies are associated specifically with higher levels of proactive aggression and victimization and reactive aggression. Activity participation, particularly activities that are not associated with the school that the participant attends, seems to be serving as a buffer against maladjusted cognitions and functions of aggression and victimization. Specifically, having high efficacy for activity participation (ability to meet expectations within activity) serves a buffer for both reactive aggression and reactive victimization. Activity participation benefits appear to not be present if the individual is only participating because their parents are forcing them to be there. No group differences were found. These findings serve to demonstrate the importance of establishing fit of activity context for youth as well as their motivation for participation. More broadly, it is important to examine functions of aggression and victimization in the same model as the forms of aggression and victimization. By better understanding the moderating role of activities, schools can potentially have a low cost intervention tool for peer aggression and victimization difficulties.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental outcomes of Chinese American children's social competence in their transition to elementary school. In this study, I used a mixed-methods research design. The first part of the study was a secondary analysis of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort. I examined cultural differences in the effects of parental warmth, parental SES, parent-child communication, and children's participation in peer-oriented structured extracurricular activities on the social development of European American and Chinese American children. For the second part of the study, I developed questions based on the findings of the quantitative analysis and conducted interviews to further explore how Chinese immigrant mothers' parenting beliefs and practices contributed to their children's development of social competence. The results showed that in Chinese immigrant families, parental SES influenced parent-child communication, which in turn promoted children's social competence. Parental SES, but not parental warmth, predicted their children's participation in peer-oriented structured extracurricular activities. Years of stay in the U.S. positively predicted children's participation in peer-oriented structured extracurricular activities, while it negatively predicted parent-child communication in Chinese immigrant families. The qualitative data suggested that Chinese immigrant mothers facilitated their children's social development by giving them verbal guidance for peer problems, encouraging conversations at home, and serving as role models for their children. Children's activity participation was restricted by the affordability of activities and parents' ability to provide transportation for their children. The Chinese immigrant mothers perceived taking on daily responsibilities and spending quality time together with their children as ways to express love toward them. These mothers' childrearing practices were influenced by the generational gap and acculturation. This study broadens our understanding of Chinese American children's development of social competence in their transition to formal schooling. It contributes new knowledge about 1) cultural differences in the effects of parental warmth and SES on parent-child communication; 2) the influences of parental SES on parent-child communication and Chinese American children's participation in peer-oriented structured extracurricular activities; and 3) the effect of years of stay in the U.S. on parent-child communication in Chinese immigrant families. / text

Sexual minority youth (i.e., youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or who report same-sex attractions) disproportionally experience negative mental health and academic outcomes. Yet, few studies have examined positive youth development for this population. The goal of these three manuscripts is to add new information about positive developmental contexts for sexual minority youth in order to generate ideas for intervention and prevention. More specifically, the focus of these three manuscripts is on school-based extracurricular activity involvement of sexual minority youth.Manuscript one presents results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health that compare sexual minority and heterosexual youth involvement in school-based extracurricular activities. Results documented that sexual minority youth are involved in school-based extracurricular activities at the same frequency as their heterosexual peers. For all youth, there was a small, but positive association between extracurricular activity involvement and school connectedness. School connectedness was associated with better mental health (i.e., higher self-esteem and lower depression), and these associations were stronger for sexual minority youth.Manuscript two presents results from the Preventing School Harassment Study that examine lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) youth involvement in Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs). GSAs are extracurricular clubs that are tailored to the needs of LGBQ youth. This study examined the concurrent associations among GSA presence, GSA membership, and participation in GSA-related social justice activities, with victimization based on sexual orientation and school-based and civic outcomes. GSA presence and participation in GSA-related social justice activities were positively associated with school belongingness and grade-point average (GPA), and GSA membership was associated with greater school belongingness. Results suggested, however, that the positive benefits of GSA presence and social justice involvement dissipate at high levels of school victimization.Manuscript three extends findings from manuscript two by examining the associations among GSA presence, GSA membership, perceived GSA effectiveness, and young adult well-being. The study utilized the Family Acceptance Project and found that the presence of a GSA, membership in a GSA, and GSA effectiveness differentially predicted LGBT young adult well-being. In some cases, these three facets of GSAs buffered the negative effect of LGBT-specific school victimization.

Title: Has youth participation in organized extracurricular activities and future expectation relevance for antisocial behavior?   Zetterberg, E. (2015). Has youth participation in organized extracurricular activities and future expectation relevance for antisocial behavior? Bachelor thesis in Public Health science. Department of work- and public health science. The academy of health and working life. University of Gävle, Sweden. Adolescent drug use is a threat to public health. Therefore it is important to identify how different factors interact in order to develop successful preventive interventions against youth drug use. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of participation in organized extracurricular activity, future expectation and drug use. Method: The study is cross-section designed and based on the data material from the last survey, Life and Health Young in 2013 in Uppsala County. The study included 1648 high school students residing in the municipalities of Uppsala, Enköping and Älvkarleby (response rate of 60 %). The data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate methods. Results: The results indicate that there is an association between participation in organized sports-related extracurricular activity, future expectation and drug use. Young people who have a positive expectation about their future have used less drugs (16%) compared with adolescents who have a negative future expectation (27%). Positive future expectation was also strongly associated with participation in organized sports-related extracurricular activity (both p< 0.001). Conclusions: Being involved in organized extracurricular activity appears to be a determinant of a positive future expectation as well as a positive future expectation seems to be a determining factor for decreased drug use among adolescents. / Ungdomars narkotikaanvändning är ett hot mot folkhälsan. Därför är det viktigt att kartlägga hur olika faktorer samvarierar för att kunna utveckla framgångsrika preventiva insatser mot ungdomars narkotikaanvändning. Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka associationen mellan deltagande i organiserad fritidsaktivitet, framtidstro och narkotikaanvändning. Metod: Studien är av tvärsnittsdesign och bygger på datamaterial från den senaste enkätundersökningen Liv och Hälsa Ung 2013 i Uppsala län. I studien ingick 1648 gymnasieungdomar bosatta i kommunerna Uppsala, Enköping och Älvkarleby (svarsfrekvens på 60 procent). Datamaterialet har analyserats med bivariata och multivariata metoder. Resultat: Resultatet indikerar att det finns en association mellan deltagande i organiserad idrottsrelaterad fritidsaktivitet, framtidstro och narkotikaanvändning. Ungdomar som har en positiv framtidstro har i mindre utsträckning använt narkotika (16%) jämfört med ungdomar som har en negativ framtidstro (27%). Positiv framtidstro var även starkt associerat med deltagande i organiserad idrottsrelaterad fritidsaktivitet (båda p<0.001). Slutsats: Att delta i organiserad fritidsaktivitet tycks vara en bestämningsfaktor för positiv framtidstro liksom att positiv framtidstro tycks vara en bestämningsfaktor för minskad narkotikaanvändning bland ungdomar.

This study investigated the effect of school-sponsored, extra-curricular activities on academic achievement for students at a private school in north central Texas. Students selected for this study were graduates from the classes of 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. With a minimum participation of two years during grades nine through twelve, students were categorized into subgroups of activities. After eliminating students who participated in more than one of the extra-curricular activities of music, drama, visual arts, and athletics, three hundred sixty-one students were represented. The identity of students was encoded and information was recorded for gender, school-sponsored, extra- curricular activities, cumulative grade point averages, SAT Scores, ACT Scores, and cumulative grade point averages in core curriculum subjects. A two-way ANOVA test with a two-by-five factorial design was completed for research questions one through four. A one-way ANOVA with a one-by-five factorial design was completed for research question five. When a significant F was found, Scheffe and LSD post hoc tests were completed to determine pair wise interaction. Statistical differences did exist when comparing school-sponsored, extra-curricular activities and cumulative grade point averages with musicians having a significantly higher cumulative grade point average, SAT scores, and ACT scores than athletes. A significant difference was found among the activity subgroups regarding the cumulative grade point averages in the core curriculum subjects of foreign language, history/English (an interdisciplinary subject at the studied school), mathematics, and science with musicians scoring significantly higher than athletes in all subjects. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to investigate the impact of activities on student achievement. Studies might include larger and different populations, the impact of participation at a younger age, and the impact of other activities on student achievement.

The aim of this thesis is to create an educational programme for teaching ethology at grammar schools, in which theoretical knowledge will be directly linked with practical activities. To fulfil the goals of this ethological educational programme there is used the creation of ethograms.The whole educational programme is divided into three parts. In the first part pupils are acquainted with the theory of ethology and individual types of animal behaviour and also with the principles of direct observation of animals, the creation of ethological records and their evaluation. In the second part pupils observe directly a chosen animal in zoological gardens or similar institutions and on the basis of their obtained theoretical knowledge they describe its behaviour to previously prepared forms. In the third part pupils create ethograms of vertebrates based on the gained data, which are part of an expert seminar paper in a form of an expert text, a power-point presentation or a poster. In these papers pupils keep the basic format and content rules for ethogram creation.To determine the suitability, adequacy and benefits of this educational programme there is used the evaluation of the output papers created by pupils, a questionnaire and the findings acquired from the realization of the whole programme. The...

Estudos recentes apontam para a importância de investigações mais abrangentes sobre o universo da formação médica, ressaltando que essa não é constituída somente de habilidades e procedimentos, mas, principalmente, por um complexo quadro de atitudes. Percebe-se que a carga horária do curso é extenuante e, mesmo assim, muitos estudantes se envolvem com uma infinidade de atividades extras durante a sua formação, construindo vasto currículo paralelo. Este estudo objetivou investigar as concepções dos estudantes de uma Faculdade de Medicina sobre as vivências, peculiaridades e papéis das atividades extracurriculares durante a formação médica. A investigação foi orientada pela abordagem qualitativa e estruturada em três etapas: pré-inquérito por meio da aplicação de questionário aos estudantes do 1º ao 6º ano de Medicina (n=423); entrevistas individuais, segundo roteiro semi-estruturado (n=24) e entrevistas em dois grupos focais constituídos por três encontros (n=14). Na 1ª etapa do estudo, os resultados apontaram que 90% dos participantes do 2º ano até o 4º ano do curso participam de atividades extracurriculares que estão vinculadas ao contexto universitário e despendem, em média, mais de 8h semanais. A participação em ligas acadêmicas foi a atividade mais freqüentemente relatada pelos estudantes do 1º ao 4º ano, sendo que “aproximar da prática médica" foi o principal motivo apontado nesse quesito. Em relação ao 5º e ao 6º ano, as participações em atividades de iniciação científica e monitorias foram as mais relatadas e motivadas pela “contribuição para o currículo". A Atlética, entidade estudantil que objetiva a participação em competições desportivas, obteve o envolvimento constante dos estudantes durante todos os anos do curso. Os dados advindos das entrevistas individuais revelaram que os estudantes de medicina identificam seu envolvimento com atividades extracurriculares como tentativa de preencher lacunas curriculares, suplementar o curso, integrar-se com os colegas de diferentes anos, atenderem indagações profissionais futuras e/ou proporcionar o distanciamento do cotidiano médico. A utilização da estratégia em grupo focal, alicerçada na abordagem do Sociodrama Educacional, possibilitou que conflitos e contradições, relativos ao cotidiano da formação médica, acabassem por emergir. Apesar dos benefícios apontados pelos estudantes, os dados levantados evidenciam sentimentos de insegurança e conflitos decorrentes da dificuldade deles em conciliar as atividades extracurriculares, o lazer e o curso. Além disso, as percepções dos estudantes sugerem a necessidade premente de ocupação do tempo livre, manifestando um antagonismo diante das insatisfações advindas do vulnerável período do curso médico. / Recent studies show the importance of more including inquiries on the universe of the medical formation, standing out that this is not only constituted of abilities and procedures, but, mainly, for a complex group of attitudes. The schedule of the course is exhausting, thus, many students involve themselves with an infinity of extra activities during their formation, constructing a vast parallel curriculum. This study aimed at inquiring the perceptions of students at a Medical School about their experiences and peculiarities, as well as the role of extracurricular activities during the medical formation. The inquiry was guided by the qualitative and structuralized boarding in three stages: pre-inquiry through the questionnaire application from 1st to 6th year of Medicine students (n=423); individual interviews, according to semi-structuralized script (n=24) and interviews in two focal groups consisting by three meetings (n=14). In the 1st stage of the study, the results had pointed that 90% of the participants of 2nd to 4th year of the course participate of extracurricular activities that are tied with the university context and expend, on average, 8h weekly. The participation in academic leagues was the activity more frequently told by the 1st to 4th year students, where “to approach to the medical practice" was the main reason pointed in this question. Regarding the 5th and 6th year, the participation in activities of scientific initiation and monitorized had been told and motivated by the “contribution for the curriculum". The “Atlética", an entity for students that objective the participation in sporting competitions, got the constant envolvement of the students during every year of the course. The resulting data of the individual interviews had disclosed that the medicine students identify their envolvement with extracurricular activities as an attempt to fill curricular gaps, to suplement the course, to combine themselves with the colleagues of different years, to take care of future professional investigations and/or to keep away from the medical routine. The use of the strategy in focal group, based on the approach of the Educational Sociodrama, made possible the appearance of conflicts and contradictions, related to the daily routine of the medical formation. Although the benefits students pointed, data evidence feelings of unreliability and decurrent conflicts because of their difficulty in conciliating the extracurricular activities, the leisure and the course. Moreover, the perceptions of the students suggest the necessity of free time occupation which serves as possible “counterpart" from the contradictions and dissatisfactions of the vulnerable period of the medical course.

The "Connections Through Clubs" program provides all students with the opportunity to participate in a small-group extracurricular activity and mentoring experience led by school faculty, staff, and community members during the school day throughout the academic year. This schoolwide program was developed in response to identified school needs and as a means to facilitate a strengths-enhancing school environment and to promote the developmental competencies of all students, both of which have been linked to academic and personal success. The purpose of this article is to describe the inception, implementation, and preliminary evaluation of the Connections Through Clubs program. In addition, the school counselor's collaboration, coordination, and advocacy efforts to implement this program are highlighted.

At school, students are provided numerous opportunities to use their skills and abilities to complete tasks or solve problems. Students are considered to have academic success when they meet specific criteria on outcomes such as grade point averages (GPA), scores on standardized tests, and skill acquisition across areas like reading and math. Given the importance of academic achievement (AA) as an outcome measure, researchers have attempted to study certain variables that may relate to or predict AA. Extracurricular activities (EAs) are defined as school-sanctioned activities that students can participate in outside of the traditional school day. Participation in EAs has been associated with several benefits to students, including higher AA, noncognitive skills, and transferable skills. A comprehensive review was conducted to examine the literature on EA participation and academic performance as measured by various AA variables including the American College Test (ACT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and GPA. Results of the study indicated that students participating in EAs, regardless of type, benefited academically compared to non-participants. AA declined for students who participated in more than two EAs. However, this project should not take the place of well controlled, empirical studies. Implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.

Research in extracurricular activities and arts education demonstrate how experiences in those areas contribute to the well-being and ongoing development of students in higher education. Although practiced and performed across the United States, theatrical improvisation, as an art form or extracurricular activity, lacks investigation within the context of higher education. Without an understanding from the student perspective, higher educational stakeholders miss an opportunity to incorporate experiences that address the institutions' mission and learning goals or worse, inadvertently produce student disenfranchisement. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experience of improvisational acting training, practice, and performance of 7 college students who participated in an improvisation group. Huizinga and Caillois's theories of play and Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow served as the conceptual framework for the study. Data collection occurred at a community college in the mid-Atlantic region through 2 interviews with each participant and 1 focus group until reaching saturation of data. Data were analyzed through iterative coding of significant statements through which themes emerged. Themes included attraction to the activity, practice of the craft, applications of skills to life, and a continuance of improvisation in the participants' lives and at college. The findings lend credibility to other research supporting arts and extracurricular activities and provide educational stakeholders with insights from students on what they value in their educational experience. Positive social change can come from providing students with an education that includes fun, creativity, and socialization for a successful future.