Structured after‐school activities as a moderator of depressed mood for adolescents with detached relations to their parents

Abstract This study investigated whether participation in structured after‐school activities moderates the association between detached parent–adolescent relationships and adolescent depressed mood. A representative sample of 539 14‐year‐olds and their parents were assessed concerning adolescent participation in after‐school activities, the parent–adolescent relationship, and adolescent depressed mood. Results showed that adolescents with detached relations to their parents reported high levels of depressed mood. Adolescents who participated in after‐school activities reported low levels of depressed mood compared to adolescents not participating in such activities; however, this was primarily true of participants who perceived high support from their activity leader. Support from after‐school activity leaders was particularly important for a subgroup of youth characterized by highly detached relations to their parents. Although girls reported higher levels of depressed mood than did boys, the associated benefits of perceived support from an activity leader were consistent across gender. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.