Research Themes: Social Context of Education

After-School Time: Programs,
Activities, and Opportunities

This study was designed to enhance our understanding of how adolescents' use of their time during the non-school hours impacts their development. We conducted an integrative review of four related literatures (after-school programs, youth development programs, extracurricular activities, and leisure time use) to investigate the opportunities and supports youth experiences in these different settings. Data from three large studies of diverse youth were used to investigate youth's access to, and use of, developmental opportunities and supports in all types of after-school settings.

Project Update: NCCF researchers research affiliates have provided summaries of their latest findings from four studies describing various after-school activities of adolescents and kindergarten children, and the outcomes related to those activities:

Exploring Activity Combinations with Time Diary Data (.pdf)

Early Enrichment Opportunities: Participation and Cognitive Benefits in Kindergarten (.pdf)

Exploring the Psychosocial, Behavioral, and Academic Effects of Participation in Different Activity Combinations: Preliminary Analyses (.pdf)

A Multilevel Analysis of the Links Between Youth's After-School Time Activities and Their Well-Being. (.pdf)

Funding Source: W.T. Grant Foundation.

Contact: Jodie Roth-Herbst, Ph.D.; Margo Gardner, Ph.D.

Current Social Context of Education Projects

Completed Social Context of Education Projects