The Effects of Adolescents' Extra-Curricular Activities on Young Adult Success

Tucker Brown, Arizona State University
Mary H. Benin, Arizona State University

This study employs a life-course approach to investigate the role of participation in school-based extracurricular activities and sports for adolescents reared in non-traditional family structures (i.e., single-mother, single-father, and step-family households) and the effect of participation on early adult outcomes. Using Waves I and III from the Add Health data, we examine three young adult outcomes: high school completion, civic involvement and drug use. We find that adolescent extracurricular activity participation including sport, academic, service-based, and performing arts are protective for young adult’s future success. Adolescent extracurricular activities are important for children from all family structures, but seem to be less protective for children from single father families. Survey analysis techniques which control for the complex sampling design in Add Health are used.