Implications of Extracurricular Activity Participation During Adolescence on Positive Outcomes

The present study was conducted to determine if participation in extracurricular activities predicts multiple positive outcomes such as attending college, voting in national and regional elections, and volunteering for community and religious organizations. From analyses of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, a nationally representative survey of students, our results suggest that consistent participation in extracurricular activities from 8th grade through 12th grade predicts academic achievement and prosocial behaviors in young adulthood. This finding remains after accounting for control and individual, parent, peer, and school process variables. Both research and policy implications are discussed.