Linking Extracurricular Programming to Academic Achievement: Who Benefits and Why?
Abstract
This article analyzes data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 to test the effect of participation in extracurricular activities on high school achievement. It also explores potential mediating mechanisms that link such participation to academic success. The results show that participation in some activities improves achievement, while participation in others diminishes achievement. Participation in interscholastic sports promotes students' development and social ties among students, parents, and schools, and these benefits explain the positive effect of participation on achievement
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Some studies among adolescents show no relation between ECA and achievement, while others documented a positive association.
“Some studies among adolescents show no relation (Foster & Jenkins, 2017;Rees & Sabia, 2010) while others documented a positive association (Broh, 2002;Busseri et al., 2006;Cooper et al., 1999;Lipscomb, 2007).”
From Participation in extracurricular activities predicts academic growth and mediates socioeconomic inequalities in primary school (2026) · cites this paper as Broh, 2002
Participation in all three ECA types in Grade 1 was positively associated with baseline achievement.
“Participation in all three ECA types in Grade 1 was positively associated with baseline achievement (Broh, 2002;Lipscomb, 2007;Morris, 2019).”
From Participation in extracurricular activities predicts academic growth and mediates socioeconomic inequalities in primary school (2026) · cites this paper as Broh, 2002
Participation in a range of different structured out-of-school activities, including organised sports, art or music classes, and school clubs, is associated with improved cognitive development and higher academic achievement.
“Participation in a range of different structured out-of-school activities, including organised sports, art or music classes, and school clubs, is found to be associated with improved cognitive development and higher academic achievement (Broh, 2002;Covay and Carbonaro, 2010;Fredericks and Eccles, 1996;Hallam, 2010).”
From Arts and cultural participation among 17-year-olds (2020) · cites this paper as Broh, 2002
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Hallam, S. (2010) · International Journal of Music Education · doi:10.1177/0255761410370658 · Cited by 993 · see citing works
Feldman, A. F., & Matjasko, J. L. (2005) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/00346543075002159 · Cited by 815 · see citing works
Bohnert, A., Fredricks, J., & Randall, E. (2010) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/0034654310364533 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
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Feldman, A. F., & Matjasko, J. L. (2007) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2006.03.004 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Busch, V., Loyen, A., Lodder, M., Schrijvers, A. J. P., van Yperen, T. A., & de Leeuw, J. R. J. (2014) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/0034654313518441 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Langenkamp, A. G. (2010) · Sociology of Education · doi:10.1177/0038040709356563 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Future Directions in Youth Involvement Research
Rose‐Krasnor, L. (2009) · Social Development · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2008.00506.x · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Arts and cultural participation among 17-year-olds
ESRI, & Smyth, E. (2020) · doi:10.26504/rs103 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Brunet, L., Rémeau, M., Houdé, O., & Borst, G. (2026) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.70127
- Authors
- Broh, B. A.
- Affiliations
- The Ohio State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Broh, Beckett A.
- Venue
- Sociology of Education
- Publisher
- JSTOR
- Published
- 2002-01
- Volume
- 75
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 69
- ISSN
- 0038-0407 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2034955177
- Cited by
- 639
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 41 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 17.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Sociology of Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Parental Involvement in Education
- Keywords
- extracurricular activities, academic performance, high school students, interscholastic athletics, mediating mechanisms, social ties, school-family relations, student development
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