The Determinants of Mexican-Origin Adolescents’ Participation in Organized Activities: The Role of Culture, Settings, and the Individual

How do individual, family, peer, and activity indicators determine Mexican-origin adolescents’ participation in organized out-of-school activities? Latino youth, of whom 60 percent are Mexican origin, have the highest rates of school dropout and are often the least likely to participate in organized after-school activities. The researcher will examine the individual and contextual predictors of Mexican-origin adolescents’ participation in organized community-based programs and school-based extracurricular activities. For instance, Mexican-origin adolescents vary in terms of their orientation to mainstream American and Mexican cultural practices and beliefs, factors which may play a role in youth’s attitudes toward participation in out-of-school activities. Understanding and identifying the predictors of participation is vital for designing activities that effectively recruit and retain youth.