The Role of Extracurricular Activities in the Development of Social Capital in Youth

Amanda M. White, Arizona State University
Constance T. Gager, Arizona State University

Previous research has noted the absence of extracurricular activities encourages adolescents' engagement in deviant behaviors and that adolescent time spent in extracurricular activities may be one avenue for building social capital. However, less research attention has focused on creating a hierarchy which distinguishes those activities that foster social capital more than others. Blending Becker's (1981) economic resources model with Coleman's (1988, 1990) concept of social capital development in youth, we aim to develop a better understanding of the relationship between family socioeconomic status and youth time-use. Specifically, we use data from the Survey of Parents and Youth (SPY) to examine the frequency and type of extracurricular activities in which adolescents participate, comparing teens in families who live below poverty and those who do not. Further, we will measure poverty status of families using the standard federal poverty measure and a new experimental poverty measure (Proctor & Dalaker, 2001; Short, 1999).