Trajectories of Organized Activity Participation Among Urban Adolescents: Associations with Young Adult Outcomes.

Organized activity participation provides opportunities for adolescents to develop assets that may support favorable outcomes in young adulthood. Activity participation may be especially beneficial for marginalized youth as they are likely to face stressors that increase risk of negative outcomes. We used growth mixture modeling (GMM) to identify activity participation trajectories among African American adolescents in an urban, disadvantaged community (Wave 1: mean age=14.86 years, SD=0.64; 49% male, N=681). We also investigated if young adult outcomes differed by trajectory subgroups. Our results suggested a three-class model best fit the data: low, decreasing (74%), moderate, consistent (21%) and moderate, increasing participation subgroups (5%). Adolescents in the increasing subgroup reported higher life satisfaction and lower substance use in young adulthood compared to the decreasing subgroup. Youth who increase participation in activities over time may experience greater opportunities for building assets related to positive development that support health and well-being into young adulthood.