Contrary to popular hypothesis, recent research rejects the notion that most or even many children and youth are over-scheduled and are suffering as a result. In fact, less than one in ten could be described as over-scheduled. Moreover, research indicates that only six in ten children and youth participate in organized out-of-school activities at any given time, and links involvement in those extracurricular activities with positive social, behavioral, and psychological outcomes. The research illustrating the positive outcomes of participation in organized out-of-school activities tells us that focus should be directed not to the few children and youth who are over-scheduled, but rather to those who do not participate at all. (Contains 24 endnotes.) [This brief is adapted from the following article: Mahoney, J. S., Harris, A. L., & Eccles, J. S. Organized Activity Participation, Positive Youth Development, and the Over-Scheduling Hypothesis. "Social Policy Report," 20(4).]