Chapter 3: The Role of Family and Community in Extracurricular Activity Participation: A Developmental Approach to Promoting Youth Participation in Positive Activities during the High School Years

Although research suggests that youth will derive the greatest benefits from their out-of-school time by participating in organized extracurricular activities (see Mahoney, Larson, & Eccles, 2005), the selection process of getting youth involved and keeping youth involved in organized activities is complex. Specifically, activity choices involve reciprocal processes between the contextual constraints and opportunities for participation within the family, community, and adolescents’ own motivations to participate (Bouffard, Wimer, & Caronongan et al., 2006; Elder & Conger, 2000; Mahoney et al., 2005). Moreover, the “fit” between the individual and the characteristics of the organized activity (“activity context”), including the presence and quality of the activity leaders, the types of participating peers, and special skill requirements, also act to promote or inhibit youth participation in the activity (Eccles & Gootman, 2002). The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the central factors that influence high school adolescents’ extracurricular activity participation within a developmental theoretical framework that can help integrate and inform further research and practice. Through an examination of the factors that influence participation, we can identify ways to best promote youth engagement in positive activities during the nonschool hours.