Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Melissa K Peckins

Abstract

The present study investigated whether extracurricular involvement in adolescence serves as a protective factor against adolescent delinquency for youth exposed to parental alcohol and/or drug dependency in early childhood. While previous research has established parental substance use as a risk factor for adolescent delinquency, less is known about whether extracurricular activities moderate this association. The present study included a subsample of 3,251 youth (n = 1,662 boys, 1,589 girls) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a probability sample of births in large US cities (> 200,000) between 1998 and 2000. Parental alcohol and/or drug dependency was assessed at age 3 using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short-Form. Adolescent delinquency was measured at age 15 by self-report and included behaviors such as selling marijuana or other drugs, taking something from a store without paying for it, and using or threatening to use a weapon to get something. Extracurricular activity involvement was measured at age 15 and reflects participation in athletic or sports teams, group performance activities, scouts or hobby clubs, school activities, religious services, and volunteer service activities. Hierarchical linear regression was performed to examine whether extracurricular activity involvement at age 15 moderated the association between parental alcohol and/or drug dependency at age 3 and adolescent delinquency at age 15, while controlling for child’s sex, birth mother’s marital status at the time of child’s birth, and adolescent delinquency at age 9. Results indicated that parental alcohol and/or drug dependency at age 3 predicted higher levels of adolescent delinquency at age 15. Adolescents with greater levels of extracurricular activity involvement at age 15 reported lower levels of delinquency at age 15. However, extracurricular activity involvement did not moderate the association between parent alcohol and/or drug dependency exposure during childhood and adolescent delinquency. Findings from the present study show that although extracurricular activity involvement is protective for youth, regardless of exposure to parental alcohol and/or drug dependence. This study offers valuable insights on the protective role of extracurricular activities during adolescence.

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