Extracurricular Participation Among Adolescents from Immigrant Families

Year Published:

Abstract

Participation in organized after school activities could be especially beneficial for youth from immigrant backgrounds, whose families often have little knowledge of American school systems. The role of extracurricular involvement in the achievement and motivation of students from immigrant families was examined among 468 eleventh grade (52.4%female) students from Asian American (44.4%),European American (19.0%) and Latino( 36.5%)backgrounds who varied in generational status (first:25%; second:52.4%, third:22.6%) and attended high school in the Los Angeles area. Participants completed questionnaires regarding their extracurricular activities, school belonging, and intrinsic motivation. Students’ grade point average (GPA) was obtained from official school records. Controls included parental education, ethnicity ,generational status ,gender, school, and the outcome variables in tenth grade. First generation students were less likely to participate in academic activities than their third generation peers but, overall, there were few generational differences in participation. Participation predicted achievement and engagement after accounting for tenth grade levels of educational adjustment. Most notably, although all students benefitted from participation, the gain in GPA as a function of participation was greater for first generation than third generation students. Results suggest that organized after school activities are particularly important for students in immigrant families, providing them with additional experiences that contribute to academic achievement.

Citation

Relevant Evidence Summaries

The evidence was reviewed and included in the following summaries: 

What works to help students in immigrant and refugee families complete secondary education?

There is some moderate evidence that trusted adult support increases academic achievement. Three articles highlight the importance of support from a trusted adult on academic achievement. Two suggestive studies focus on parental support, while another impact evaluation focuses on trusted adults. Students who had the support of their parents or trusted adults were more academically…

About this study

AGE: Adolescents and/or Youth

DIRECTION OF EVIDENCE: Positive impact

FULL TEXT AVAILABILITY: Free

HOST COUNTRY: United States

HOST COUNTRY INCOME: High

INTERVENTION DURATION: Unspecified

INTERVENTION: After-school activities

OUTCOME AREA: Youth Programs

POPULATION: Immigrants

REGION OF ORIGIN OF PARTICIPANT(S): Central America

STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE: Suggestive

TYPE OF STUDY: Suggestive evidence

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2014

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