The Associations Between After-School Settings and the Cognitive Outcomes of U.S. Elementary School Children: Results from Household Income Differences

This study examined how different after-school care arrangements affect cognitive development in elementary school children, comparing outcomes across household income levels. Using data from nearly 1,700 nine-year-old children in the United States, researchers measured associations between after-school settings (programs, adult care, parental care) and children's verbal, symbolic, and math skills. Contrary to expectations, children in adult care showed better cognitive outcomes than those in formal after-school programs, particularly in lower and middle-income households. The findings suggest that formal after-school programs for low-income children may need better design and quality improvements.

Key points

• Children in adult care showed more positive associations with verbal and math skills than children in after-school programs for lower and middle-income households
• Children in parental and non-adult care reported higher math skills than those in after-school programs in higher-income households
• Study used data from 1,674 children aged 9 years from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
• Results contradicted the hypothesis that formal after-school programs would be most beneficial for lower-income children
• Authors recommend constructing well-designed program components for low-income families and improving quality of after-school programs in poor communities

Limitations

The study is cross-sectional and observational, so it cannot establish causation or account for unmeasured confounders that may explain why certain children are in particular care arrangements. The analysis cannot determine whether differences in cognitive outcomes result from the setting itself or from other family and individual characteristics associated with choice of after-school arrangement.