Consequences of Summertime for Adolescent Development

Investigator: Joseph Mahoney

Relative to the school year, the summer months represent a time of heightened risk for many adolescents with respect to antisocial and criminal behaviors, weight gain and obesity, and declining academic achievement. At the same time, research indicates that when adolescents’ out-of-school time involves participation in organized activities and supervised arrangements, the likelihood of developing these adjustment problems is reduced and the development of physical health and social-academic competencies are augmented significantly.

A growing body of research shows that the out-of-school activities and arrangements that adolescents experience have important implications for their academic, social, and physical development. Although summertime represents the largest consecutive period of out-of-school time – accounting for nearly one-quarter of adolescents’ developmental experiences during a calendar year – very little is known about the basic arrangements and activities that youth experience during the summer months. Likewise, a paucity of research is available concerning the implications of summertime experiences for adolescents’ physical health, school adjustment, and psychosocial development. 


Specific Aims

The investigation, which involves secondary data analysis of the Child Development Supplement (CDS) to the Panel Study for Income Dynamics (PSID), has two main aims:

1. To develop knowledge about activities and arrangement that adolescents experience during summertime. Although research has begun to elucidate the developmental settings in which youth spend their time during the school year, very little is known about summertime. The first aim of this investigation is to begin filling this knowledge gap by identifying youth involvement in salient activities (e.g., organized activities (sports, extracurricular activities, after-school programs) and paid employment) and arrangements (e.g., self care, parent/relative care) during the summer. Differences in participation according to demographic, individual, and familial factors are of interest.
2. To assess relations between participation in summertime activities/arrangements and adolescent adjustment during the school year. Out-of-school time has important implications for adolescents’ academic, social, civic, and physical development. However, this research is generally limited to out-of-school settings assessed during the school year. Little is known about whether the summertime activities/arrangements that youth experience have implications for their development. The second aim of this investigation is to examine relations between youth’s summer activities/arrangements and broad indicators of their subsequent adjustment during the following school year (i.e., obesity, psychological and emotional well-being, academic achievement, and social behavior problems). Moderating factors and mediating processes that may explain adjustment-related differences across activity/arrangement types and individuals is of interest.

Results from this research will begin to address the knowledge gap on conditions under which adolescents’ summertime experiences may provide risks and opportunities for the development of physical health, social-emotional, and academic competencies. Specifically, findings are expected to help clarify the summer activities/arrangements that are likely to play a role in the development of problematic developmental outcomes as well as those associated with the promotion of positive youth development.