Abstract

    In Canada, 32% of children aged 6 to 11 in 1995 participated weekly, 35% of girls and 28% of boys - Chart 1 reproduced below. The percentage of children ranged from 17% in Quebec to 54% in Nova Scotia. By size of place the percentage ranged from 32% in the large metro areas to 40% in urban areas under 30,000, and was 28% in rural areas.

    Rural areas had 38% of Canada's weekly club attendees and 32% of Canada's children attending clubs less often or never lived in rural areas: 35% of all children lived in rural areas. At the other extreme, metro areas of 500,000 population plus had 9% of Canada's weekly club attendees, 15% of her other children attending clubs less often or never, and 12% of all children.

    Some 35% of Canada's girls attended clubs weekly, but only 12% of French Roman Catholic girls, which is 66% less than the Canadian average for girls. At the other extreme of participation, 59% of United Church girls and 57% of Anglican girls attended clubs weekly.

    In the analyses influences on teen behaviours and attitudes are explored using several factors. Given the other factors in the model, for example, LSD use is found to be more likely among teen girls in 2003 if they had attended clubs weekly eight years earlier. It is also more likely if the parents cohabited or were divorced or separated rather than being married, and lived in Ontario rather than Quebec or the Prairie provinces. Drug use is less likely the more frequently the girl worshipped in 1995; a similar result appears for boys.

    In another model, teen boys but not girls are found to be less prone to consensual sex if they participated weekly in clubs when younger. Important factors that deter sexual activity among both girls and boys are education of the main parent, having two rather than one biological parent, living in Ontario rather than Quebec or the Atlantic provinces, and being a conservative Christian rather than liberal Protestant, Roman Catholic or having no affiliation.

    Weekly participation in clubs positively influences the teen worship frequency for both girls and boys eight years later. The main parent's education also stimulates future worship among girls, plus a conservative Christian affiliation rather than Roman Catholic or liberal Protestant for both teen girls and boys. Residence in Quebec rather than Ontario, the Prairie provinces or British Columbia deters teen worship frequency. Given the other factors, worship frequency declines with age among teen girls, but not for boys.