S. D. Simpkins

Family Involvement in School and Low-Income Children's Literacy: Longitudinal Associations Between and Within Families

Longitudinal data from kindergarten to 5th grade on both family involvement in school and childrens literacy performance were examined for an ethnically diverse, low-income sample (N = 281). Within families, increased school involvement predicted improved child literacy. In addition, although there was an achievement gap in average literacy performance between children of more and less educated mothers if family involvement levels were low, this gap was nonexistent if family involvement levels were high. These results add to existing evidence on the value of family involvement in school by demonstrating that increased involvement between kindergarten and 5th grade is associated with increased literacy performance and that high levels of school involvement may have added reward for low-income children with the added risk of low parent education. As such, these results support arguments that family involvement in school should be a central aim of practice and policy solutions to the achievement gap between lower and higher income children.

Using Social Network Analysis to Clarify the Role of Obesity in Selection of Adolescent Friends

OBJECTIVES We used social network analysis to examine how weight status affects friend selection, with an emphasis on homophily and the social marginalization of overweight youths. METHODS We used an exponential random graph model to assess the effects of body mass index (BMI) on friend selection while controlling for several alternative selection processes. Data were derived from 58,987 students in 88 US middle and high schools who took part in the 1994 to 1996 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. RESULTS On average, overweight youths were less likely than nonoverweight youths to be selected as a friend; however, this effect differed according to the BMI of the person initiating the friendship. Nonoverweight youths were 30% more likely to select a nonoverweight friend than an overweight friend, whereas overweight youths were largely indifferent to the weight status of their friends. Friendship ties from overweight youths to nonoverweight peers were more likely than ties in the reverse direction. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence consistent with homophily and social marginalization but only for the selection behavior of nonoverweight youths. We conclude that avoidance of overweight friends is the primary determinant of friendship patterns related to BMI.

Do neighborhood and home contexts help explain why low-income children miss opportunities to participate in activities outside of school?

In this study, childrens participation (N = 1,420) in activities outside of elementary school was examined as a function of disparities in family income using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement. Childrens neighborhood and home environments were investigated as mechanisms linking income disparities and participation rates. Family income was positively associated with childrens participation in activities, with the largest effect sizes evident for children at the lowest end of the income distribution. Affluence in the neighborhood and cognitive stimulation in the home were both important mediators of the association between income and participation, explaining from approximately one tenth to one half of the estimated associations between income and participation.

Latino Adolescents' Participation in Extracurricular Activities: How Important Are Family Resources and Cultural Orientation?

Latino adolescents often are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities compared to youth from other ethnic groups. This descriptive study examined the differences in activity participation by family resources and markers of cultural orientation for the four largest Latino ethnic groups in the U.S. Findings were based on secondary data analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 11,689 Latino youth). Family resources were not strong predictors of participation, but the markers of cultural orientation did predict activity participation. Surprisingly, foreign-born youth had higher participation than native-born youth. The proportion of their friendship network that was non-Hispanic friends positively predicted activity participation, whereas the proportion of co-ethnic and foreign-born Hispanic friends negatively predicted activity participation. Findings from this investigation highlight that there were few differences in participation by Latino ethnic group affiliation but great variability within each Latino ethnic group.

Healthy mind, healthy habits: The influence of activity involvement in middle childhood

There is growing evidence that participating in extracurricular and out-of-school activities during adolescence is associated with both short- and long-term indicators of positive development (e.g., Eccles & Barber, 1999; Eccles & Templeton, 2002; Mahoney, 2000). Yet, few researchers have questioned whether these relations are solely the result of activity participation during adolescence or if they are the culmination of a process that began in middle childhood. Middle childhood is marked by many physical, cognitive, social, and contextual changes. It is during this time that children develop multiple cognitive skills, such as reasoning and the ability to reflect on ones accomplishments, experiences, and aspirations. Childrens social worlds broaden as they begin to participate in organized out-of-school activities. The changes in childrens abilities and skills coupled with the new contexts in which children develop suggest that middle childhood is an important period for the development of skills and beliefs through participation in out-of-school activities. Although entry into adolescence and adulthood brings new abilities and interests, some of the benefits of adolescent participation may not be realized unless the groundwork is laid in middle childhood. There is little evidence available concerning developmental hypotheses about the reasons or mechanisms for these associations. Longitudinal studies over extended periods of time afford an opportunity to examine positive and negative consequences of participation based on activity characteristics as well as other potential influences such as parental encouragement or child talent.

Organized out-of-school activities and peer relationships: Theoretical perspectives and previous research

The goal of this volume is to show how organized activities provide an ideal setting for developing a deeper understanding of peer relations, as well as offering a context for a more positive study of peers. The chapters in this volume focus on youth 10 to 18 years of age. In this introductory chapter we first describe the reasons why organized activities, like sports, arts, and school clubs, are ideal settings to examine peer processes. Next, we describe the theoretical and empirical research related to two questions: (1) how do peers influence organized activity participation and (2) how does organized activity participation influence peer relations. We organize this review around three themes outlined in the broader peer relations literature: (1) peer groups, (2) peer relationships, and (3) peer interactions.

Predicting youth out-of-school time participation: Multiple risks and developmental differences.

Youth out-of-school time (OST) programs and activities can provide developmental benefits for participating youth. Yet little research has examined the contextual predictors of youth OST participation. To address this issue, we examined a collection of child-, family-, school-, and neighborhood-level characteristics as predictors of OST participation using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics—Child Development Supplement. In summary, child and family characteristics were most useful in predicting participation such that children least likely to participate were those characterized by high levels of developmental (e.g., low achievement, behavior problems, poor health) and family (e.g., parent psychological distress and low emotional support) problems. These relations, however, emerged only during middle school and high school. For certain types of activities, namely athletics and lessons, problems measured across various contexts were more strongly associated with OST participation for higher-income families than for lower-income families. These findings point to the importance of considering multiple developmental domains and developmental periods in understanding predictors of youth OST participation.

Designing Culturally Responsive Organized After-School Activities

Organized after-school activities promote positive youth development across a range of outcomes. To be most effective, organized activities need to meet high-quality standards. The eight features of quality developed by the National Research Council’s Committee on Community-Level Programs for Youth have helped guide the field in this regard. However, these standards have largely been defined in terms of universal developmental needs, and do not adequately speak to the growing ethnic and racial diversity within the United States, which is further complicated by issues of power and social class differences. Given U.S. population shifts and after-school funding priorities, the time has come to consider new ways to provide organized after-school activities that are responsive to youth’s culture and everyday lives. The goal of this article is to explore how we can help ensure that after-school activities are culturally responsive and address the specific needs of the youth who participate in these activities. Based on theory and empirical evidence, we provide proposed practices of cultural responsiveness for each of the eight features of quality for program structure and staff. The article concludes with future directions for research and strategies to implement culturally responsive practices and harness resources.

“They Will Post a Law About Playing Soccer” and Other Ethnic/Racial Microaggressions in Organized Activities Experienced by Mexican-Origin Families

Organized activities have been found to provide positive experiences for Latino adolescents to develop confidence and learn critical life skills; however, these programs are sometimes a context where youth encounter negative experiences related to ethnic/racial microaggressions (ERMs). This qualitative study explores the types of ERMs that Mexican-origin parents and adolescents encountered in their organized activities experience. Parents were mainly concerned about SB-1070 and the associated law enforcement practices that posed a threat to transporting their children to and from the organized activity site. Adolescents reported that they encountered overt (e.g., ethnic teasing) as well as covert forms of discriminatory behavior (e.g., implicit ethnic stereotypes) from peers and adult leaders. Attention to the processes of ERM is critical to helping practitioners promote positive intergroup relations so that more Latinos will participate and stay active in organized activities.

When and How Does Participating in an Organized After-School Activity Matter?

This article was supported by a Grant #181735 from The William T. Grant Foundation.Organized after-school activities are places youth spend time outside of school where they are supervised by an ad...