Unorganized Activity Research Articles

Place-Based Developmental Research: Conceptual and Methodological Advances in Studying Youth Development in Context.

Scientists have, for some time, recognized that development unfolds in numerous settings, including families, schools, neighborhoods, and organized and unorganized activity settings. Since the turn of the 20th century, the body of mainstream neighborhood effects scholarship draws heavily from the early 20th century Chicago School of Sociology frameworks and have been situating development in neighborhood contexts and working to identify the structures and processes via which neighborhoods matter for a range of developmental outcomes, especially achievement, behavioral and emotional problems, and sexual activity. From this body of work, two new areas of developmental scholarship are emerging. Both areas are promising for advancing an understanding of child development in context. First, cultural-developmental neighborhood researchers are advancing neighborhood effects research that explicitly recognizes the ways that racial, ethnic, cultural, and immigrant social positions matter for neighborhood environments and for youths' developmental demands, affordances, experiences, and competencies. This body of work substantially expands the range of developmental outcomes examined in neighborhood effects scholarship to recognize normative physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, social, and cultural competencies that have largely been overlooked in neighborhood effects scholarship that espoused a more color-blind developmental approach. Second, activity space neighborhood researchers are recognizing that residential neighborhoods have important implications for broader activity spaces-or the set of locations and settings to which youth are regularly exposed, including, for example, schools, work, organized activities, and hang-outs. They are using newer technologies and geographic frameworks to assess exposure to residential neighborhood and extra-neighborhood environments. These perspectives recognize that time (i.e., from microtime to mesotime) and place are critically bound and that exposures can be operationalized at numerous levels of the ecological system (i.e., from microsystems to macrosystems). These frameworks address important limitations of prior development in context scholarship by addressing selection and exposure. Addressing selection involves recognizing that families have some degree of choice when selecting into settings and variables that predict families' choices (e.g., income) also predict development. Considering exposure involves recognizing that different participants or residents experience different amounts of shared and nonshared exposures, resulting in both under-and over-estimation of contextual effects. Activity space scholars incorporate exposure to the residential neighborhood environments, but also to other locations and settings to which youth are regularly exposed, like schools, after-school settings, work, and hang-outs. Unfortunately, the cultural-development and activity space streams, which have both emerged from early 20th century work on neighborhood effects on development, have been advancing largely independently. Thus, the overarching aim of this monograph is to integrate scholarship on residential neighborhoods, cultural development, and activity spaces to advance a framework that can support a better understanding of development in context for diverse groups. In Chapters I and II we present the historical context of the three streams of theoretical, conceptual, and methodological research. We also advance a comprehensive cultural-developmental activity space framework for studying development in context among children, youth, and families that are ethnically, racially, and culturally heterogeneous. This framework actively recognized diversity in ethnic, racial, immigrant, and socioeconomic social positions. In Chapters III-V we advance specific features of the framework, focusing on: (1) the different levels of nested and nonnested ecological systems that can be captured and operationalized with activity space methods, (2) the different dimensions of time and exposures or experiences that can be captured and operationalized by activity space methods, and (3) the importance of settings structures and social processes for identifying underlying mechanisms of contextual effects on development. Structures are setting features related to the composition and spatial arrangement of people and institutions (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, ethnic/racial compositions). Social processes represent the collective social dynamics that take place in settings, like social interactions, group activities, experiences with local institutions, mechanisms of social control, or shared beliefs. In Chapter VI, we highlight a range of methodological and empirical exemplars from the United States that are informed by our comprehensive cultural-developmental activity space framework. These exemplars feature both quantitative and qualitative methods, including method mixing. These exemplars feature both quantitative and qualitative methods, including method mixing. The exemplars also highlight the application of the framework across four different samples from populations that vary in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status (SES), geographic region, and urbanicity. They capture activity space characteristics and features in a variety of ways, in addition to incorporating family shared and nonshared activity space exposures. Finally, in Chapter VII we summarize the contributions of the framework for advancing a more comprehensive science of development in context, one that better realizes major developmental theories emphasizing persons, processes, contexts, and time. Additionally, we offer a place-based, culturally informed developmental research agenda to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population.

Puberty timing and relative age as predictors of physical activity discontinuation during adolescence

Among same-age adolescents, those who enter puberty relatively later and those who are relatively younger (e.g., born later in the year) might be at greater risk of physical activity discontinuation. This study aimed to (1) describe gender-specific discontinuation, re-engagement, and uptake rates in various types of physical activities from the age of 11 to 17 years, and (2) assess puberty timing and relative age as predictors of discontinuation from organized, unorganized, individual, and group-based physical activities. Longitudinal data from 781 (56% girls, age 10–13 years at study baseline) Canadian participants who self-reported puberty status, birthdate, and involvement in 36 physical activities every four months from 2011 to 2018 was analyzed. The incidence of discontinuation, re-engagement, and uptake in organized/unorganized and individual/group activities from grade 6 until grade 12 was described and Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate associations of puberty timing and relative age with organized/unorganized and individual/group activity discontinuation. Results demonstrate that individual and unorganized activities are maintained longer than group-based and organized activities. Girls who started puberty earlier were more likely to discontinue organized activities than girls with average-puberty timing [Hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) 1.68 (1.05–2.69)]. Compared to boys born in the 4th quarter of the year, boys born in the 2nd quarter of the year were less likely to discontinue organized [HR (95% CI) 0.41 (0.23–0.74)], unorganized [HR (95% CI) 0.33 (0.16–0.70)], group [HR (95% CI) 0.58 (0.34–0.98)], and individual activities[HR (95% CI) 0.46 (0.23–0.91)], and boys born in the 3rd quarter were less likely to discontinue unorganized activities[HR (95% CI) 0.41 (0.19–0.88)]. This study illustrates the patterns of physical activity participation throughout adolescence. However, the generalizability of findings may be limited due to participant representation.

Description of sport participation profiles and transitions across profiles during adolescence

ABSTRACT Few studies describe sport participation profiles in the general population using multiple characteristics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify sport participation profiles during adolescence and to describe transitions across profiles from grades 5 to 12 (age 10 to 18 years). We used data from 916 participants (55% girls; age 10–12 years at inception) of the Monitoring Activities of Teenagers to Comprehend their Habits (MATCH) study. Participants self-reported involvement in 36 organized and unorganized physical activities three times/year from grades 5 to 12 (24 data collection cycles; 2011–2018). At each school grade, we derived four categorical variables of sport involvement: number of organized sports, number of unorganized activities, weekly sessions, and number of year-round activities. To identify sport participation profiles, we used latent class analysis at each grade. To characterize transitions between sport participation profiles across grades, we used latent transition analysis. Five distinct sport participation profiles emerged: “non-participants”, “unorganized activities only”, “single-sport low frequency”, “single sport high frequency”, and “multi-sport”. Only “multi-sport” participants were unlikely to be classified as “non-participants” over time. Encouraging multi-sport participation might help protect against later non-participation. This study helps identify important times to intervene for improving physical activity levels.

Analysis of Output and Employment of Trade in India: A Case of rising Capital Intensity and Its Implications

Trade is by far labour-intensive sector. The sector is dominated by unorganized activities. Though, post-1990s, the share of organized sector has been rising but at slow pace. Till 2003-04, the sector has grown well as a consequence, output has risen and concomitant increase in the share of employment has been noticed. From 2003-04 onwards a significant increase in capital intensity has been noticed which increased the productivity of the sector. Therefore, contribution of the sector in employment generation has decimated, despite the fact that there was no decline in output. Rise in capital intensity is attributed to formalisation of the sector and resultant increase in investment.

Associations between Physical Activity and Academic Competence: A Cross-Sectional Study among Slovenian Primary School Students.

Physical activity has beneficial effects on overall academic performance in children. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding how the individual characteristics of physical activity interact with other confounding variables of academic competence. Leisure-time physical activity with potential confounders—such as developmental, behavioral, family, and school factors, predicting overall, mathematical, and reading academic competence—was studied in a random sample of 1520 Slovenian primary school students in grades 4–6 (51.9% female; mean age = 10.4 years; SD = 0.93). A structured self-reported questionnaire was used to gather data on the children’s leisure-time physical activity and social-demographic variables, while academic competence was measured by teachers using the SSRS Academic Competence Evaluation Scale. The findings showed that children engage in physical activity most days a week, with moderate-intensity and unorganized activities. It was predicted that engaging in physical activity would lead to an increase in academic performance by 4.2% in males (p = 0.002) and 3.2% in females (p = 0.024), but after fully adjusting the model for controlling confounding variables, the prediction increased to 81.1% in females and 84.1% in males (p < 0.001). The frequency and intensity of physical activity, the absence of digital games, and attending sports clubs seem to have the most beneficial effects in terms of academic competence in school children, among other relevant confounders mediating in this complex relationship.

The interplay of youth and care characteristics with a positive social climate in therapeutic residential youth care

BackgroundLimited research exists on how therapeutic residential youth care (TRC) achieves treatment outcomes. More specifically, little is known about the association between contextual factors such as treatment organization, youth characteristics, and experienced social climate in TRC. Therefore, this study aims to investigate differences between latent classes of TRC and youth characteristics and their association with a positive perceived social TRC climate. MethodWe applied a person-centered approach in a cross-sectional design with a sample of 400 adolescents and 142 staff leaders. We analyzed youth and TRC characteristics in a latent class analysis and established associations with social climate for these two groupings. ResultsThe two types of TRC settings we found, i.e., larger TRC settings and family-style TRC settings, show small differences in social climate. These settings only differed on youth activities and staff shifts type (more cohabitation and unorganized activities outside TRC in family-style TRC). We identified four adolescent classes: A severe problems group, youth with incidental problems, family problems, and a migrant background group. The migrant background group showed the most positive perceptions of social climate, followed by youth with incidental problems, family problems, and severe problems. ConclusionsTRC staff should acknowledge how perceived social climate is connected to TRC characteristics and the heterogeneity of adolescents in care. As social climate is subjective and dynamic, a continuous dialogue about TRC social climate between staff and youth is recommended. Future research should investigate how these aspects are associated with treatment outcomes to increase our understanding of achieving positive outcomes in TRC.

Mental distress among young adults \u2013 gender differences in the role of social support

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to examine to what extent observed gender differences in mental health are associated with the protective factors social support, sense of coherence and participation in regular physical activity and more generally, engagement in organized or unorganized activity with other people.MethodsThis study was based upon a cross-sectional regional health survey in Norway, conducted during the winter of 2015–2016, in three southern counties; Aust-Agder, Vest-Agder and Vestfold. The study focused on young adults, comparing three age groups; 18–24 years old (n = 624), 25–31 (n = 582), and 32–38 years old (n = 795).ResultsSense of coherence was strongly associated with low mental distress in all age groups and for both genders, while the association between low social support and mental distress was significant for young women only. Regular physical activity was not positively associated with low mental distress when sense of coherence and social support were included in the analysis.ConclusionSocial support appears to have a stronger role as a protective factor for mental distress among young women, compared to young men and older persons. This has implications for health promoting activities that target young women. Sense of coherence showed a strong association with low mental distress scores for all ages studied.

Environmental and Social Correlates of Physical Activity in Neighborhood Parks: An Observational Study in Tampa and Chicago

This study used observational methods to examine physical activity (PA) and selected correlates in 28 parks in Tampa, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois. We observed 9,454 park users within predetermined activity zones and coded their activity as sedentary, walking (i.e., moderate intensity), or vigorous PA. In Tampa, higher temperature, unorganized activity, lower amounts of shade, lower neighborhood income, Hispanic neighborhood ethnicity, male gender and child age group were significantly associated with walking. Vigorous activity was not associated with income and ethnicity. Morning hours, unorganized activity, lower neighborhood income and African American neighborhood ethnicity were associated with walking in Chicago. Vigorous activity was associated with children, lower neighborhood income and African American ethnicity. Findings from this study can inform policy decisions and future research directions.

The Institutionalizing Effect of Criminalization: A Case Study of American Prostitution

Prostitution in the United States in the early 19th century was an almost entirely individual, ad hoc, unorganized activity. In the 1910s, the Progressive Movement arrived, bringing with it enforcement of harsh criminal penalties of prostitution for the first time. Within a couple of decades, a rigorously structured, commercialized prostitution industry emerged. Prostitution transformed from a practice into an institution.This Article lays out a new theory among the unintended consequences of criminalization. Criminalization has the potential to push previously unstructured, independent, ad hoc behaviors to become structured and organized. The Article examines this relationship in the context of American prostitution from the 1850s to 1930s, using contemporaneous sources to tease out the organization of American prostitution before and after the criminalization wave of the Progressive Era. The Article then examines the economic principles that underlie this relationship, including how criminalization creates economies of scale in bargaining for government corruption. In conclusion, the Article argues that policymakers can recognize and respond to this problem in shaping criminal sanctions. Certain criminal regimes, such as partial criminalization that focuses penalties on the purchasers, rather than the sellers of sex work, may alleviate this institutionalizing effect of criminalization and avoid the harms associated with more complex and persistent institutional criminal structures. The Article thus gives theoretical support for current experiments in New York and Sweden in partial criminalization of sex work.

Girls' academic achievement: varying associations of extracurricular activities

This study examined the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic achievement for girls with different ethnic backgrounds in eighth and tenth grade. Participants include 4382 American girls (78% Caucasian, 9% Latina, 7% African American and 6% Asian Pacific Islander). It was expected that in‐school academic organized activities would be positively related to achievement, whereas out‐of‐ school non‐academic unorganized activities would be negatively related to achievement. As hypothesized, the aggregated data demonstrate that participation in academic related activities is beneficial. Also, in‐school academic organized activities were positively and significantly related to achievement. Moreover, the hypothesis that out‐of‐school non‐academic non‐organized activities would be negatively and significantly related to achievement was only partially substantiated. Notable is that the prediction equations did not work equally well for girls with different ethnic backgrounds. It would be beneficial for future researchers to consider disaggregating data when possible and appropriate. Descriptive statistics for tenth grade girls Ethnicity Mean SD Skew Asian/Pacific Islander, SES, 0.33, 0.89, −0.23 Reading, 35.33, 8.82, −0.49 Math, 53.70, 11.78, −0.63 Science, 23.66, 5.62, −0.03 History/geography, 33.70, 4.72, −0.04 ISAO*, 1.43, 1.26, −0.67 ISNAO*, 0.96, 0.73, −0.17 OSNAO, 1.52, 1.34, −0.49 OSNANCT, 7.45, 2.07, −0.37 OSNANTV, 6.13, 2.77, −0.07 OSANO*, 2.75, 0.84, −0.10 Latina, SES, −0.46, 0.77, −0.30 Reading, 29.64, 8.66, −0.13 Math, 40.67, 11.90, −0.25 Science, 18.93, 4.80, −0.62 History/geography, 29.95, 4.19, −0.35 ISAO*, 0.84, 0.97, −1.14 ISNAO*, 0.73, 0.73, −0.36 OSNAO, 1.45, 1.40, −0.82 OSNANCT, 7.51, 2.24, −0.53 OSNANTV, 6.52, 2.79, −0.02 OSANO*, 2.39, 0.75, −0.13 African American, SES, −0.21, 0.83, −0.03 Reading, 30.61, 9.47, −0.05 Math, 40.52, 12.84, −0.31 Science, 19.03, 4.93, −0.56 History/geography, 30.58, 4.49, −0.33 ISAO*, 1.04, 1.12, −1.27 ISNAO*, 0.75, 0.76, −0.45 OSNAO, 1.57, 1.29, −0.58 OSNANCT, 7.18, 2.25, −0.39 OSNANTV, 8.15, 2.87, −0.40 OSANO*, 2.47, 0.81, −0.31 Caucasian, SES, 0.21, 0.74, −0.07 Reading, 34.78, 8.76, −0.46 Math, 48.56, 12.35, −0.27 Science, 22.93, 5.47, −0.05 History/Geography, 33.64, 4.62, −0.15 ISAO*, 1.19, 1.12, −0.85 ISNAO*, 0.93, 0.71, −0.10 OSNAO, 1.73, 1.38, −0.44 OSNANCT, 7.87, 2.08, −0.58 OSNANTV, 5.95, 2.70, −0.30 OSANO*, 2.49, 0.79, −0.19 *These composites were skewed; therefore, square root transformations were used to correct for the skewness (Tabachnick & Fidell, 1996). Descriptive statistics for eighth grade girls Ethnicity Mean SD Skew Asian/Pacific Islander, SES, 0.26, 0.87, −0.24 Reading, 31.00, 8.32, −0.16 Math, 44.65, 11.23, −0.16 Science, 19.93, 4.68, −0.28 History/geography, 31.48, 4.60, −0.00 ISAO*, 1.29, 0.72, −0.05 ISNAO, 0.86, 0.88, −0.66 OSNAO*, 0.69, 0.66, −0.18 OSNANOTV, 6.93, 2.82, −0.02 OSANO*, 3.07, 0.93, −0.29 Latina, SES, −0.50, 0.75, −0.30 Reading, 25.96, 7.60, −0.40 Math, 33.59, 10.04, −0.70 Science, 17.27, 3.80, −0.66 History/geography, 28.28, 4.16, −0.29 ISAO*, 1.05, 0.81, −0.37 ISNAO, 0.85, 0.92, −0.69 OSNAO*, 0.70, 0.73, −0.44 OSNANOTV, 7.35, 2.96, −0.12 OSANO*, 2.72, 0.81, −0.57 African American, SES, −0.26, 0.81, −0.03 Reading, 26.69, 8.20, −0.24 Math, 32.60, 10.35, −0.82 Science, 17.21, 3.97, −0.67 History/geography, 28.91, 3.91, −0.46 ISAO*, 1.31, 0.83, −0.01 ISNAO, 0.91, 0.91, −0.57 OSNAO*, 0.99, 0.78, −0.01 OSNANOTV, 8.96, 2.78, −0.83 OSANO*, 2.89, 0.83, −0.63 Caucasian, SES, 0.15, 0.72, −0.08 Reading, 30.84, 8.00, −0.16 Math, 40.43, 11.26, −0.12 Science, 20.04, 4.44, −0.26 History/geography, 30.68, 4.08, −0.26 ISAO*, 1.19, 0.69, −0.26 ISNAO, 1.04, 0.92, −0.38 OSNAO*, 0.96, 0.68, −0.17 OSNANOTV, 6.84, 2.71, −0.04 OSANO*, 2.91, 0.88, −0.19 *These composites were skewed; therefore, square root transformations were used to correct for the skewness (Tabachnick & Fidell, 1996).