What to read after Extracurricular Participation and Self-concept in Rural Elementary Students?

The purpose of this ex post facto, causal comparative study was to test the interactional framework of self-concept theory and Gibson's ecological theory of perceptual development with Erikson's theory of psychosocial development by investigating the overarching research question, Is there a statistically significant difference between mean scores for self-concept (academic, social, and overall) based on extracurricular participation portfolio (sports only, non-sports only, mixed activity types, or no participation) in rural elementary students? The relationship of extracurricular participation to positive outcomes in adolescents has been established in prior research. This study is significant because it ameliorates the paucity of research on such variables with rural elementary students. A convenience sample from three North Georgia elementary schools was used. Students completed the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, Second Edition. Scores were compared to students' extracurricular portfolios for the previous 6 months. Data were collected over a period of 3 weeks at the schools and extracurricular facilities. An ANOVA using SPSS was conducted for each null hypothesis to obtain results indicating a significant relationship between extracurricular portfolio and self-concept scores.