Influence of Physical Activity, SES`, Perceived Safety, and Demographic Factors on the GPA of Asian American Students: Report of the National High School Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Physical Activity is an important contributor to health, both physical and cognitive. Relationships among students’ physical activity (PA), sports participation, physical health status, and academic performance have been explored in various academic venues, however, investigating Asian American students nationwide has not yet been covered. Using the latest National High School Longitudinal Study data and the hierarchical regression approach analyzed, this study examined: How the extracurricular PAs, school attitudes, and other demographic variables impact the participants’ personal health, and grade point average (GPA). Participants were 956 Asian American high-school students (AAHSSs). Findings confirmed the importance of participating in PA and identified the relationships between the relative factors. In brief, AAHSSs who participated in after-school PA (including sports) earned a higher GPA. No significant impact on GPA from the AAHSSs’ hours spent on extracurricular activities. Female AAHSSs had a higher GPA than their male counterparts. AAHSSs’ socioeconomic status significantly impacted their educational achievement. Why the way of distributing social resources to all American students is the key to having equal educational opportunities was revealed and explained because the equal distribution of social resources influences educational achievement. Meaningful recommendations are offered to parents, community leaders, teachers, school administrators, and policymakers as well.