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Previous literature has indicated a relationship between poverty, participation in extracurricular activities, and developmental outcomes. The current study aimed to investigate and develop a deeper understanding of extracurricular activities (ECAs) and their impacts on adolescent development using two self-report tools, the YES 2.0 and the Delinquent Attitude Scale (DAS). The researcher surveyed 174 high school seniors from students attending schools in poverty areas and students attending schools not located in poverty areas in Mississippi, examining disparities in ECA opportunities, barriers to participation, and the positive and negative impacts of ECAs on development. Additional data were collected from school administrators, allowing the researcher to compare ECA participation among students attending schools in poverty areas and students attending schools not located in poverty areas and the barriers that impact this participation. Results showed that students attending schools in poverty areas were less likely to participate in ECAs than those students attending schools not located in poverty areas. Lack of awareness about programs was the most common barrier reported by students. To address this, it is recommended that schools emphasize recruiting for ECAs and involve students at younger ages. Regarding the impact of ECAs on development, participation in ECAs was found to have a positive impact on certain developmental areas, regardless of poverty area. Negative outcomes were minimal in all poverty areas. However, excessive participation in ECAs adversely affected grades among students attending schools in poverty areas. Overall, this study highlights the importance of addressing disparities in ECA opportunities and barriers to participation and the potential positive impact of ECAs on adolescent development.

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...

The thesis deals with science education and integration of field trip in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. The theoretical part summarizes available information about science education and integrating field trip in the classroom, theoretical information about creating of questionnaires and a websites. The practical part contains the analysis of survey results. The main finding is that half of the teachers know their neighbourhood with regard to realize field trip. However they find obstacles in realization, such as price, time-consumption, knowledge of locations, students' interest, demanding organization etc. A website was created using the feedback from the questionnaire as described in the next part of thesis. It contains description of locations suitable for field trip in chemistry education. The aim of the website is to facilitate field trip organisation for teachers.

THE TITLE OF THE THESIS Athletics in elementary school THE TARGET OF THE THESIS The target of the thesis is a comparison of four-year-grade performance in the chosen athletics disciplines reached by boys from the second grade of two elementary schools. In one of them expanded sport education is taught. Next we want to draw a comparison of the relation between pupils' extracurricular sport activity and their performance in the chosen athletics disciplines. THE METOD The thesis is elaborated as a observational study. Within the research the method of collecting data - panel survey is applied. Data of these athletics disciplines are elaborated in the research: running at 60 m, long jump, shot - put and high jump. There is also used the inquiry method on the subject of extracurricular sport activities. CONCLUSION The gathered data concerning the chosen athletics disciplines of pupils from the elementary school with expanded sport education prove a higher growth performance. From the inquiry was found out that two thirds of respondents engage in extracurricular sport activities and their performance grew more continuously in the chosen athletics disciplines than the performance of those respondents who did not devote to these activities. KEY WORDS Athletics, performance, elementary school, extracurricular sport...