More information about “Organized Activity Participation, Positive Youth Development, and the Over-Scheduling Hypothesis” is available from the Society for Research in Child Development.
American children might not be participating in too many activities after all, says a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Social Policy Report.
The data analysis, conducted by researchers from Yale University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Michigan, suggests that children participate in organized activities, such as lessons or sports, because they want to, not because their parents make them. The authors also note that youths who take part in such activities show “healthier functioning” than those who do not, such as more academic success, less substance abuse, and better relationships with their parents.
