Shannon Gadbois
Brandon University, SRG 2008
Français
The extant literature on extracurricular activities (ECA) participation has shown the positive outcomes for youth who participate particularly in organized athletic and non-athletic activities. These positive outcomes include higher physical and general self-esteem, greater self-efficacy,
a stronger sense of initiative, reduced rates of delinquency, fewer problems with substance abuse, and reduced aggression (e.g., Duda & Mtoumanis, 2005; Eccles & Gootman, 2002; Larson et al., 2005; Gadbois & Bowker, 2007; Mahoney, 2000, Youniss, Yates, & Su, 1997).
The first year of this research project included a broad survey of rural and urban youth in grades 5 – 12 regarding the range of ECA activities in which they participated outside of school class time. All participants reported their participation in all activities, whether organized (e.g., sports, music lessons) or not (e.g., hanging out with friends, watching television). A total of 1380 youth (44% boys; 56% girls), from 19 schools in Southwestern Manitoba were surveyed for this study. The majority of the participants were Caucasian (85.8%). A total of 64.8% were from the city
of Brandon with the remaining participants (35.2%) located within a 200 km radius of Brandon. Preliminary results showed that 84.6% of all participants participated in organized sport activities. Furthermore, a majority of participants (60.9%) named an organized sport activity when asked to name any activities they believed fit a definition of youth engagement. However, only 10.1% of participants indicated that they spent most of their free time on sport ECAs. Results were examined based on geographical location (rural or urban) as well as with regard
to grade and gender.
Much research supports the positive developmental consequences of extracurricular activities (ECA) participation (Eccles, Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003), but many issues remain unexplored. For example, sports participation is associated with higher self-esteem, positive body image, and improved physical health (Gadbois & Bowker, 2007). However, research has given little attention to comparisons between relative benefits of athletic and non-athletic activities. Furthermore, the level (e.g., competitive vs. recreational) and “dosage” (amount of time devoted to ECA) have rarely been considered in relation to youth development. Also, little attention has been given to younger children and how participation and outcomes may change developmentally. Finally, research on Canadian youth has been rare. Guided by a positive youth development model, we will focus on identifying aspects of ECA involvement that promote positive development in Canadian youth.
Many factors can moderate the relationships between ECA participation outcomes. For example, sport participants, whose self-perceptions are inconsistent with a competitive sports orientation, may have lower self-esteem than non-participants, despite the benefits generally associated with sports (Bowker, Gadbois & Cornock, 2003). Additionally, relationships with peers and coaches can affect participants’ sports-related self-efficacy and persistence (Reinboth & Duda, 2004; 2006).
Phase 1 of our research will be a broad survey in order to determine the range of ECA participation in Canadian youth considering differences based on age, gender and context (rural/urban). In Phase 2, we will collect follow-up questionnaires with a subsample of Phase 1 participants, in order to examine concurrent and longitudinal associations between ECA involvement and youth development. We also will assess links between youth ECA experiences and outcomes, including examining potential intra- and interpersonal moderators. Furthermore, in-depth interviews with a subset will provide supplementary qualitative data.
We seek to increase understanding of how ECAs can benefit youth and highlight the importance of a ‘good fit’ between individuals and their activities – knowledge that will be relevant to those who charged with developing initiatives to promote youth well-being
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