PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF TRANSFORMATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR EDUCATION PATTERNS AMONG FIRST-GRADE STUDENTS: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY
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Abstract
An effective way to mitigate the negative consequences of the educational process is active involvement of children in extracurricular activities; however, excessive academic workload contributes to the depletion of a child's resource potential, leading to a complete abandonment of hobbies and leisure. One of the key stages of a significant increase in academic load is the child's transition from the preparatory group of preschool educational institution to the first grade of primary school, which may create conditions for reduced attendance of extracurricular activities and contribute to the risk of developing school-mediated diseases.
The aim of this study is to analyze the transformation of extracurricular education patterns during the transition of children from the preparatory group of preschool educational institutions to the first grade of primary school, including assessment of attendance dynamics, identification of predictors of activity discontinuation, and determination of sex-specific characteristics of the process.
Materials. A dynamic survey was conducted on 486 children from preparatory groups of preschool educational institutions (mean age 6.82 ± 0.12 years) and 339 first-grade students (mean age 7.69 ± 0.21 years).
Results. Girls demonstrated higher overall attendance of extracurricular activities compared to boys (preschool – p < 0.001, primary school – p < 0.001). The transition of children from preschool to primary education was associated with a decrease in extracurricular activity attendance among boys by 25.0% and among girls by 25.77%. The change in educational level was associated with an increased risk of discontinuing extracurricular activities in the group of boys by 1.67 times (RR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.33–2.10, p < 0.001) and in the group of girls by 1.37 times (RR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.23–1.53, p < 0.001). One in four boys and one in four girls who attended extracurricular activities will subsequently discontinue them upon entering primary school (RD = 25% and RD = 26%). The greatest reduction in out-of-school activity participation upon the child's transition to primary school was observed in the group of children attending sports sections (p < 0.001).
Conclusion. Girls are more inclined to participate in extracurricular activities compared to boys. The child's transition from preschool to primary educational institution serves as a significant predictor of discontinuation of extracurricular activities. The primary reason for children discontinuing extracurricular activities is the increasing academic workload upon entering primary school.
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