The proposed study investigates (1) the after-school arrangements of White, African-American and Puerto-Rican 6-12 year old boys and girls, who vary in socioeconomic status (SES), and (2) the impact of these arrangements on the development of these children, through a prospective longitudinal study of a stratified random sample of 240 children. Equal numbers of first and third graders will be recruited in each race/ethnic group, and will be followed for 4 years. The proposed study: (1) employs an ecological model which considers the role of family and community characteristics as mediators of the relationship between children's after-school experiences and their development; (2) examines the quality of children's after-school experiences in various settings, including self-care; (3) considers differences between children, such as gender, health, coping resources and abilities, and prior child care history; (4) is a prospective, longitudinal study with a cross-sequential design, which allows us to examine the long-term impact of after-school experiences, as well as important transitions between various types of care; (5) uses a random sample of 240 children; (6) includes samples of White, African-American and Puerto-Rican children; and (7) investigates the impact of after-school care on academic achievement; the child's self-esteem; relationships with parents and peers; behavioral adjustment; and antisocial behavior.
