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What Do They Usually Do After School?: A Comparative Analysis of Fourth-Grade Children in Bulgaria, Taiwan, and the United States

NCJ Number
220499
Journal
Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 27 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2007 Pages: 431-456
Author(s)
Joan Newman; Temi Bidjerano; Asil A. Ozdogru; Chin-Cheng Kao; Cagri Ozkose-Biyik; John J. Johnson
Date Published
November 2007
Length
26 pages
Annotation
Fourth-grade children in Bulgaria (n=287), Taiwan (n=259), and the United States (n=196), countries with contrasting social values and expectations, reported their usual after-school activities on 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day and indicated whether or not the activities were self-chosen or chosen by an adult.
Abstract
There was a significant difference in reported after-school activities among the children, particularly between the American and the Taiwanese children. Compared to American children, Taiwanese children reported spending more time in academic and extracurricular pursuits and less time in playing, reading for fun, in sports, or in self-chosen activities. There was substantial agreement in the gender-based participation differences across the countries. Girls reported spending less time in free play or computer games and more time in reading, extracurricular activities, routines, and adult-chosen activities. The participating schools in Taiwan and Bulgaria were in urban areas, and those in the United States were in suburban areas. Students in all three countries were primarily from middle socioeconomic classes. An after-school activity questionnaire entitled, "What I Usually Do," was developed by the researchers. It asked children to recall the activity they generally engaged in during each given 1-hour time period on designated days. Sample activities were provided to facilitate children's responses. Because school dismissal times differed in the three countries, which affected available after-school hours, the proportion of available time spent for each activity and choice category was used in all analyses rather than the actual time spent in the activity. 2 tables, 2 figures, and 64 references

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