The Effect Of Extracurricular Activities On Disciplinary Infractions Of At Risk Male Adolescents In High School

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between extracurricular activities participation and disciplinary infractions caused by at-risk male adolescents. Participants for this research study were male high school adolescents who met the criteria of being at-risk for becoming high school dropouts and participate in extracurricular activities. The participants ranged in ages from 14 to 18. The extracurricular activities included participation in the following activities: football for African-American males and soccer for Hispanic males. This research study was completed at a rural high school in the southeastern portion of Alabama. Disciplinary records, free and reduced lunch records, and extracurricular activities rosters were analyzed for this study. The results of this study conclude that participation in football for African-Americans and participation in soccer for Hispanics are equally effective with respect to the number of disciplinary infractions for the two groups when comparing the number of in-season infractions and the number of out of season infractions. Although no statistical difference was observed, the researcher concluded that in-season athletic activity for both groups were beneficial, therefore one proactive approach to aid in reducing disciplinary problems in schools is encouraging students to become involve in extracurricular activities.