What Are the Benefits of First Year Student Extracurricular Engagement: Academic Achievements, Desire to Complete a Degree and Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

Attention to extracurricular activities in higher education is associated with a change in the role of the university, specifically the activation of its additional function, which involves the development of student personality. Despite the support for the development of extracurricular activities in universities, the existing research on the impact of extracurricular activities on students’ educational outcomes is contradictory, revealing both positive and negative effects. The aim of this study is to examine the role of extracurricular activities in shaping the educational outcomes of students in Russian universities, taking into account both the positive and negative effects of these activities. To obtain empirical data, a survey of first-year students enrolled in bachelor’s and specialist programs at Tomsk State University was conducted (N = 1199). The study found a positive relationship between extracurricular activities and students’ educational outcomes, including both objective (academic performance) and subjective (desire to continue education and psychological well-being) indicators. At the same time, it was noted that not only the fact of participating in extracurricular activities matters, but also the type of activity chosen by the student. Specifically, scientific activities, unlike other types of extracurricular activities, are positively associated with all educational outcomes examined in the study.

Keywords

• extracurricular activities
• learning outcomes
• academic achievements
• psychological distress
• risks of depression
• student attrition
• higher education