Abstract
Previous research has linked extracurricular activities to academic performance for adolescents, but it remains unclear through what mechanisms they are linked. I posit that extracurricular activities lead to the development of academic self-efficacy, which in turn improves academic performance. This study examines the nature of the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and academic self-efficacy for adolescents. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, I find that academic self-efficacy is positively related to participation in extracurricular activities. Results indicate that participation in a diversity of types of extracurricular activities such as in both sports and student government is also related to greater academic self-efficacy. Additional analyses reveal that this effect levels out and begins to decrease at high levels of involvement, when the adolescent is involved in a high number of activities or spends a high number of hours per week in extracurricular activities. Implications for adolescents are discussed.
Degree
MS
College and Department
Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology
Rights
http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Burr, Brianne Louisa, "Do Extracurricular Activities Help Adolescents Develop Academic Self-Efficacy? Evidence for How and Why" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 3268.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/3268
Date Submitted
2012-06-15
Document Type
Thesis
Handle
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd5370
Keywords
self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, extracurricular activities, adolescent, school
Language
English