1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The aims of this study [is] twofold: (1) to identify the trajectories of breadth of participation in organized activities between Kindergarten and grade 4 and (2) to examine individual and family variables that were likely to predict membership in these trajectories.» (p. 12)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«The participants in this longitudinal study came from 250 Kindergarten classes, in 40 elementary schools in a Canadian city with a population of 500 000. […] Three cohorts, recruited over three consecutive years (2002, 2003, 2004), were combined to make up the sample of 1038 children used in this study […].» (p. 4) Tous les participants parlent français.

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«In this study, the breadth scores did not vary much from one trajectory to another. Nevertheless the analyses of predictor variables indicated that there were significant differences between children of the four trajectories on the personal and the family levels. […] These results suggest that parents play a greater role in their child’s organized activity participation (and breadth) in childhood than in adolescence. Children in the no participation trajectory showed a number of developmental risk factors such as low family income, low parental education and a tendency to be socially withdrawn. These results are a source of concern because participating in a broad range of organized activities could represent a protective factor for these children and allow them to develop positively despite the presence of individual and family risk factors.» (p. 16)