Characteristics of After-school Activities Associated with Adolescent Psychological Health and Academic Success
Principal Investigator: Michelle Hoerlein Zimmer, MD
In Collaboration with: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Participation in after-school activities is associated with a number of positive outcomes during adolescence, including lower rates of antisocial behavior and substance use, higher self-esteem, and improved academic outcomes. The goal of this study was to identify characteristics of after-school activity experiences associated with adolescent psychological health and academic success.
Participants were 591 adolescents attending an urban magnet high school in Baltimore, MD. Characteristics of after-school activity experiences and psychological health were assessed using a computerized, self-administered survey. Psychological health was measured using several validated standardized measures of adolescent mental health including depressive symptoms, self-esteem, antisocial behaviors, and substance use. The survey measured characteristics of after-school activity experiences thought to predict outcomes including: number of after-school activities ever tried, participation in various types of after-school activities, perceived talents in one or more after-school activities, the number of after-school activities in which the subject had parental involvement, and positive social experiences. Academic success was measured in terms of grade point average and absenteeism, using school records.
The results of this study suggest that certain after-school activity experiences were associated with higher likelihood of psychological health during adolescence. Specifically, the presence of a perceived talent, participation in music and part-time work were all associated with positive psychological outcomes in this population of adolescents.
