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Not everything helps the same for everyone: relevance of extracurricular activities for academic achievement

Education

Not everything helps the same for everyone: relevance of extracurricular activities for academic achievement

Á. Balaguer, E. Benítez, et al.

This study by Álvaro Balaguer, Edgar Benítez, Aranzazu Albertos, and Sonia Lara explores how extracurricular activities influence academic success among adolescents. It reveals fascinating differences based on age, sex, and parental education, shedding light on the best ways to optimize participation for academic achievement during critical developmental stages.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of extracurricular activities (EA) on academic achievement among adolescents, considering interactions between sex, age, and parental education level. A sample of 1148 adolescents (aged 12-18) completed questionnaires on EA participation, and academic and sociodemographic data were collected. Results reveal that the relationship between EA and academic achievement varies across adolescent stages. Early adolescents (12-14 years) benefit academically from participation in various activities (especially girls with higher parental education and involvement in reading), whereas middle-to-late adolescents (15-18 years) benefit from fewer activities and reduced breadth of participation. The findings support the evolutionary hypothesis of activity specialization during adolescence, with implications for integrating curricular and extracurricular elements in schools.
Publisher
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Published On
Sep 01, 2020
Authors
Álvaro Balaguer, Edgar Benítez, Aranzazu Albertos, Sonia Lara
Tags
extracurricular activities
academic achievement
adolescents
parental education
developmental stages
sex differences
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