Experiences in after-school programs and children's adjustment in first-grade classrooms

The experiences of 150 children in after-school programs were examined in r elation to performance in first grade. Three aspects of program experiences (emotional climate, quality of peer interactions, and program curriculum) were associated with the children's concurrent adjustment at school, contro lling for family selection factors. Staff positivity in the after-school pr ograms was associated with boys displaying fewer internalizing and external izing problems, whereas staff negativity was related to boys obtaining poor er grades in reading and math. Program flexibility was associated with boys having better social skills. More frequent negative interactions with peer s in the programs were related to more internalizing and externalizing prob lems, and poorer social skills at school. Boys who attended programs offeri ng a larger number of different activities had more internalizing and exter nalizing problems, and poorer grades in reading and math. After-school expe riences also were related to girls' behaviors, but associations were less a pparent for girls than boys.