The effect of successful educational actions in transition from primary to secondary school

While data show improvement in terms of educational access, dropout rates are significant in many countries. In Spain, 28% of students drop out of school without finishing secondary school, more than double the EU average. Thus, extensive research has shown the consequences of the dropout phenomenon, including negative effects on employment, welfare dependency, as well as health and emotional problems. The transition from primary to secondary education is a critical turning point. This situation worsens in the case of refugee and migrant minors who are refugees or with migrant backgrounds. Although there is strong evidence revealing the potential of SEAs to advance educational success for all in different contexts, no research has yet explored the effect of SEAs on enabling a successful transition from primary to secondary education, which could considerably impact decreasing dropout rates. Drawing on a qualitative case study of a secondary educational centre in Spain, this study analyses the impact of the implementation of three SEAs in key aspects related to primary-secondary transitions. Findings show how the systematic implementation of SEAs impacts the ease of the primary-secondary transition: positive relationships between the educational community are promoted, school connectedness across transition is strengthened, and academic support networks are enhanced. The study therefore suggests the benefits of SEAs as strategies that can enhance positive primary-secondary school transitions in terms of students' perception of belongingness, and academic performance.

Longitudinal associations of parental psychological control and friend support with autonomy during early adolescence

Although theories suggest transactional associations between adolescents' autonomy and relationships with parents and friends, few studies have examined these within-person effects. This longitudinal study examined the within-person co-development of adolescents' autonomy and relationships with parents and friends. Adolescents (N = 244 Mage  = 11.54, SD = 0.43 at T1; 50% boys) participated in a four-wave study across 2 years in the Netherlands. In random-intercept cross-lagged panel models, within-person results showed that higher levels of autonomy predicted less parental psychological control but not vice versa. However, no lagged-effects between friend support and autonomy were found. This study suggests that adolescents' autonomy steers changes in parental psychological control.

Stability and Change in Adolescents' Sense of Agency: Contributions of Sex, Multiple Risk, Pandemic Stress, and Attachment to Parents

Although literature states that individual, relational, and contextual factors contribute to adolescents' sense of agency, more research is needed to clarify and understand how adolescents develop this belief over time. The current study examined the stability/change trajectories of the sense of agency during adolescence, specifically across high school, analyzing whether attachment to parents over time, adolescents' sex, cumulative risk in baseline, and pandemic-related stress explained these trajectories. The sample included 467 Portuguese adolescents (40.7% were males; Mage = 15.58 years, SD = 0.80), evaluated three times across 18 months. This work yielded three significant findings. First, adolescents' sense of agency significantly increased over time, with significant between-subject variance at the initial levels but not at the growth rate. Second, attachment to parents consistently links to adolescents' sense of agency across time, despite the differential contributions from attachment to mothers and fathers. Third, boys reported greater growth in the sense of agency than girls. Adolescents' cumulative risk at T1 predicted lower initial levels of sense of agency, whereas higher pandemic-related stress predicted less growth of the sense of agency. These findings emphasize the contributions of individual and family characteristics and the role of the broader social context in shaping the development of adolescents' sense of agency. The findings underline the need to consider further the differential influences of adolescents' relationships with mothers and fathers to understand changes in adolescents' sense of agency.

The relation between Self-Control, Need for Cognition and Action Orientation in secondary school students: A conceptual replication study

Self-Control can be defined as the self-initiated effortful process that enables individuals to resist temptation impulses. It is relevant for conducting a healthy and successful life. For university students, Grass et al. found that Need for Cognition as the tendency to engage in and enjoy thinking, and Action Orientation as the flexible recruitment of control resources in cognitively demanding situations, predict Self-Control. Further, Action Orientation partially mediated the relation between Need for Cognition and Self-Control. In the present conceptual replication study, we investigated the relations between Self-Control, Need for Cognition, and Action Orientation in adolescence (N = 892 9th graders) as a pivotal period for the development of self-control. We replicated the findings that Need for Cognition and Action Orientation predict Self-Control and that Action Orientation partially mediates the relation between Need for Cognition and Self-Control. In addition, Action Orientation moderates the relation between Need for Cognition and Self-Control. This result implies that in more action-oriented students Need for Cognition more strongly predicted Self-Control than in less action-oriented students. Our findings strengthen theoretical assumptions that Need for Cognition and Action Orientation are important cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that contribute to the successful exertion of Self-Control.

How to acquire and use information about pupils to improve the transition from primary to secondary school?

The transition from primary to secondary school can affect children's school and work careers. Mentors at secondary school guide the children through the transition process. For this, they need support from the children, their parents, and the primary schoolteachers. We interviewed 17 mentors from secondary schools in the Netherlands to investigate whether they acquire the information they need and how they value that information. The results show that mentors play an autonomous role, are insufficiently aware of the experiences of primary schoolteachers and dissatisfied with the overall educational report by the primary school. Direct contact with primary education teachers is greatly appreciated but often does not happen.

Bullying involvement and the transition to high school: A brief report

School transitions are common educational experiences for children and adolescents and many of them worry about being bullied during this type of major life-changing point. In a sample of 701 Canadians assessed yearly from grade 5 (age 10) to grade 12 (age 18), we examined heterogeneous patterns of bullying involvement while statistically accounting for the transition into high school. Gender differences were also examined. Results indicated that on average, bullying victimization declined over time with a significant drop noted between grade 8 and grade 9 (the transition into high school), with few differences between girls and boys. Bullying perpetration also declined for most students (no gender differences), with a notable drop found at the transition into high school. However, for a subset of adolescents, the transition into high school was accompanied by an increase in bullying perpetration. These varied experiences highlight the need to model heterogeneity when examining the impact of school transitions on bullying, a neglected focus of inquiry to date. Our results suggest that moving into high school is beneficial for most adolescents involved in bullying, but not for all.

Children's anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and intergenerational transmission of worries regarding the transition to middle school

BACKGROUND

Worries about school transition were related to poor academic adjustment during middle school. However, limited studies simultaneously investigated individual and contextual factors that may shape the children's reaction related to transition.

AIMS

The first aim of this present study was to assess how children's anxiety and academic self-efficacy, including the parents' worries about school transition, are related to children's worries regarding the transition from primary to middle school. Our second aim was to explore the moderating role of children's academic self-efficacy in the relation to children's anxiety symptoms and children's worries.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A sample of 292 fourth-grade children (M_age  = 10.43; 53.4% girls) completed scales assessing their anxiety, academic self-efficacy and worries about the transition to middle school. Parents also filled out a scale assessing the worries regarding their children's transition from primary to middle school.

RESULTS

The results show that children's anxiety is positively related to their worries about the transition to middle school, whereas children's academic self-efficacy is negatively related to their worries. Parents' worries regarding their children's school transition are positively related to their children's worries regarding the transition. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy moderates the relation between children's anxiety and their worries about school transition.

CONCLUSION

Children with lower levels of anxiety reported lower worries for the transition when their academic self-efficacy was higher, whereas children with higher anxiety reported higher worries for school transition at every level of self-efficacy. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for successful school transition are discussed.

Longitudinal associations between poor reading skills, bullying and victimization across the transition from elementary to middle school

Students with poor reading skills and reading difficulties (RDs) are at elevated risk for bullying involvement in elementary school, but it is not known whether they are at risk also later in adolescence. This study investigated the longitudinal interplay between reading skills (fluency and comprehension), victimization, and bullying across the transition from elementary to middle school, controlling for externalizing and internalizing problems. The sample consists of 1,824 students (47.3% girls, T1 mean age was 12 years 9 months) from 150 Grade 6 classrooms, whose reading fluency and comprehension, self-reported victimization and bullying, and self-reported externalizing and internalizing problems were measured in Grades 6, 7, and 9. Two cross-lagged panel models with three time-points were fitted to the data separately for reading fluency and comprehension. The results indicated that poorer fluency and comprehension skills in Grade 6 predicted bullying perpetration in Grade 7, and poorer fluency and comprehension skills in Grade 7 predicted bullying perpetration in Grade 9. Neither fluency nor comprehension were longitudinally associated with victimization. The effects of reading skills on bullying perpetration were relatively small and externalizing problems increased the risk for bullying others more than poor reading skills did. However, it is important that those who struggle with reading get academic support in school throughout their school years, and social support when needed.

Socio-Economic Status, Mental Health Difficulties and Feelings about Transition to Secondary School among 10-11 Year Olds in Wales: Multi-Level Analysis of a Cross Sectional Survey

Transition between primary and secondary school represents an important milestone in young people's development. While most young people look forward to this transition, it is a source of anxiety for many. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 2218 children in 73 schools in Wales, this study aimed to understand the extent to which 10-11 year old children worried about and/or looked forward to their imminent transition to secondary school, the things they worried about and/or looked forward to, and how feelings about transition differed by socioeconomic status, as well as by emotional and behavioural difficulties. About a third of children reported being quite or very worried about transition to secondary school, while approximately two-thirds reported looking forward to it quite a bit or very much. These items were only moderately correlated, with many children both looking forward to and worrying about transition, or neither. Major sources of worry about transition centred around bullying and impact on existing friendships, while forming new friendships or joining existing friends in their new school were key things children looked forward to. Children from poorer backgrounds, attending poorer schools and reporting more emotional difficulties were significantly more likely to report worries about transition. Children from poorer families, and children reporting more emotional difficulties and behavioural difficulties, were less likely to look forward to transition. Interventions to support children in transition to secondary school need to be sensitive to the needs of children from poorer backgrounds and children with mental health difficulties.

Pupil Mental Health, Concerns and Expectations About Secondary School as Predictors of Adjustment Across the Transition to Secondary School: A Longitudinal Multi-informant Study

The transition from primary to secondary schooling is challenging and involves a degree of apprehension. The extent to which pre-existing mental health difficulties, as well as pupil, parent, and teacher concerns and expectations about secondary school predict adaptation to secondary school, is unclear. In a three-wave, prospective longitudinal study, we examined associations between pre-transition concerns and expectations about moving to secondary school with mental health difficulties and demographic factors. We then evaluated whether these constructs predicted multiple indicators of adaptive pupil functioning at the end of the first year of secondary school (academic attainment, classmate behaviour rating, school liking and loneliness at school). We found children’s concerns reduced across the transition period. Concurrent associations were identified between both concerns about secondary school and lower parent and teacher expectations that children would settle in well at secondary school, with mental health difficulties and special educational needs. Investigating associations with multiple indicators of adaptive functioning at secondary school, multivariable regression analyses controlling for a range of baseline factors (e.g. special educational needs), found children’s concerns about secondary school to be specifically associated with loneliness. In contrast, children’s mental health difficulties and both parent and teacher expectations of how well children would settle into secondary school were associated with a wider range of indicators of adaptive functioning at secondary school. When examining all predictors simultaneously, primary school teacher expectations showed longitudinal association with a wide range of indicators of successful transition. These findings suggest that assessing primary school teacher expectations may be useful for monitoring and supporting pupils through this transition period and could usefully inform school-based interventions to support transition and mental health.

Disordered eating and internalizing symptoms in preadolescence

OBJECTIVES

Research has demonstrated links between disordered eating, anxiety, and depression in adults and adolescents but there is limited research investigating these associations in preadolescence. The current study examined the associations between disordered eating, anxiety, and depression during preadolescence, as well as the role of gender in moderating these associations.

METHOD

Two hundred and thirteen children (M = 10.3 years; 51.2% male) reported levels of disordered eating (ChEAT) and anxiety and depression symptoms (RCADS-25).

RESULTS

Regression analyses support an association between disordered eating and both anxiety and depression in preadolescence. Overall, there were no significant differences between boys and girls when the main effect was examined, which differs from research in adolescents.

DISCUSSION

These findings highlight the importance of early detection for disordered eating behaviors and attitudes, as well as anxiety and depression in both boys and girls during preadolescence. Longitudinal research examining these associations is vital to help understand the trajectories of these problems, but also the gender differences in disordered eating that emerge during adolescence. Transdiagnostic interventions targeting several co-occurring problems, such as disordered eating, anxiety, and depression might be effective for preventing the development of eating disorders in the long term.

Maths attitudes, school affect and teacher characteristics as predictors of maths attainment trajectories in primary and secondary education

Maths attainment is essential for a wide range of outcomes relating to further education, careers, health and the wider economy. Research suggests a significant proportion of adults and adolescents are underachieving in maths within the UK, making this a key area for research. This study investigates the role of children's perceptions of the school climate (children's affect towards school and student-teacher relationships), their attitudes towards maths and teacher characteristics as predictors of maths attainment trajectories, taking the transition from primary to secondary education into consideration. Two growth models were fit using secondary data analysis of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The first model, which looked at predictors of maths attainment in primary education, found significant associations only between positive maths attitudes and increased maths attainment. The second model, which looked at predictors of maths attainment in secondary education, found significant associations between increased maths attainment and positive maths attitudes, decreased school belonging, positive student-teacher relationships and increased teacher fairness. The findings suggest that the secondary education school environment is particularly important for maths attainment.

Predictors of mathematical attainment trajectories across the primary-to-secondary education transition: parental factors and the home environment

A 'maths crisis' has been identified in the UK, with many adults and adolescents underachieving in maths and numeracy. This poor performance is likely to develop from deficits in maths already present in childhood. Potential predictors of maths attainment trajectories throughout childhood and adolescence relate to the home environment and aspects of parenting including parent-child relationships, parental mental health, school involvement, home teaching, parental education and gendered play at home. This study examined the aforementioned factors as predictors of children's maths attainment trajectories (age 7-16) across the challenging transition to secondary education. A secondary longitudinal analysis of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children found support for parental education qualifications, a harmonious parent-child relationship and school involvement at age 11 as substantial predictors of maths attainment trajectories across the transition to secondary education. These findings highlight the importance of parental involvement for maths attainment throughout primary and secondary education.

Predicting maths anxiety from mathematical achievement across the transition from primary to secondary education

The primary- to secondary-education transition is a substantive life event for many children. The transition can be associated with changes in the developmental trajectories of both emotional health and academic achievement. The current study looked at whether the trajectory of mathematical attainment and emotional health (anxiety) across this transition predicted later maths anxiety. A secondary analysis of data from the Twin Early Development Study (TEDS) was performed. The statistical models were fit on the 753 participants (one from each twin pair) for which there were measures of mathematical performance across the primary- to secondary-education transition and maths anxiety at age 18. Two multi-level growth models were fit predicting mathematical attainment and anxiety over the primary- to secondary-education transition. The intercepts and slopes for each child were extracted from these models and used as predictors of subsequent maths anxiety at age 18. These effects were adjusted for biological sex, socio-economic status, verbal cognitive ability and general anxiety. Maths anxiety at age 18 was significantly predicted by both pre-transition levels of anxiety and mathematical attainment and their rate of change across the primary- to secondary-education transition. However, the effects were small, suggesting that theories of maths anxiety may have overplayed the role of prior mathematical attainment and general anxiety.

Effects of Parenting Styles on Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Stress in Spanish Adolescents

Research has repeatedly highlighted the important influence of parental socialization styles on children's psychosocial adjustment. However, previous studies about their effects on school adjustment have traditionally addressed a limited set of indicators, such as academic achievement or self-concept, which should be broadened in order to increase our level of knowledge about this topic. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze the relationships between parenting styles and other relevant school adjustment criteria (self-regulated learning and academic stress) in adolescence. The study participants were 437 Spanish adolescents (44.7% men) from 12 to 18 years old (M = 14.55, SD = 1.80) who were enrolled in high school. A multivariate factorial design (parenting × sex × educational level) was used for each set of criteria. The results are consistent with previous research, showing that the indulgent style was related to better school adjustment during adolescence, evaluated through self-regulated learning and academic stress, thus increasing the available evidence about the influence of parenting styles in this setting. Additionally, this relationship remains invariant with regard to sex and the educational level of the participants in the study. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of parenting practices related to high acceptance/involvement for the adequate school adjustment of Spanish adolescents.

Expectations of the transition to secondary school in children with developmental language disorder and low language ability

BACKGROUND

A successful transition from primary to secondary school for typically developing (TD) children is associated with academic and psychosocial outcomes. Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) tend to have pervasive needs in both of these domains, yet little is known about their experience of this transition. We have no information concerning the transition for children with low language (LL).

AIM

(1) To explore the expectations of the transition to primary school for children with DLD, children with LL proficiency, and their TD peers; (2) to examine the predictors of transition concerns for each group.

SAMPLE

Children aged 10-11 in the final year of primary school with DLD (n = 30), LL (n = 29), or TD (n = 48) were recruited from eight UK primary schools in the summer term.

METHODS

A battery of standardized language and psychosocial assessments, including the School Concerns Questionnaire (SCQ; Rice et al. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 2011, 244), was administered.

RESULTS

The TD group had significantly lower levels of school concern than DLD and LL groups while DLD and LL groups did not significantly differ. Scholastic competence predicted overall concerns of children with DLD; social competence predicted TD overall concerns; and no variables predicted overall concerns of children with LL. Exploration of school concern subfactors highlighted the importance of emotion recognition for all groups and social competence for children with LL.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that school provision to facilitate a successful transition may most usefully target different areas depending on pupils' language level.

Self-affirmation reduces the socioeconomic attainment gap in schools in England

BACKGROUND

Studies in the United States show that school students from some ethnic backgrounds are susceptible to stereotype threat, that this undermines their academic performance, and that a series of virtually zero-cost self-affirmation writing exercises can reduce these adverse effects. In England, however, socioeconomic status (SES) is a much stronger predictor of academic success than is ethnic background.

AIMS

This study investigates whether self-affirmation writing exercises can help close the SES attainment gap in England by increasing the academic performance of low-SES (but not higher-SES) school students.

SAMPLE

Our sample consisted of students aged 11-14 in a secondary school in southern England (N = 562); of these, 128 were eligible for free school meals, a proxy for low SES.

METHODS

Students completed three short writing exercises throughout one academic year: those randomly assigned to an affirmed condition wrote about values that were important to them, and those assigned to a control condition wrote about a neutral topic.

RESULTS

On average, the low-SES students had lower academic performance and reported experiencing more stereotype threat than their higher-SES peers. The self-affirmation raised the academic performance of the low-SES students by 0.38 standard deviations but did not significantly affect the performance of the higher-SES students, thus reducing the SES performance gap by 62%. The self-affirmation also reduced the level of stress reported by the low-SES students.

CONCLUSIONS

The benefits of this virtually zero-cost intervention compare favourably with those of other interventions targeting the SES academic attainment gap.

Purposeful Outdoor Learning Empowers Children to Deal with School Transitions

UK schoolchildren are vulnerable to transitional stress between primary and secondary school, which may impact negatively upon their psychological health and academic achievement. This is experienced most acutely by children from ethnic minorities and lower socio-economic status (SES) households. Outdoor Adventure (OA) residential programmes are purported to develop behavioural adaptations which enable positive educational transitions of children. Personal, social and academic skills (self-reliance, getting along with others, curriculum alignment) may be best acquired through bespoke nature-based residential OA programmes. A mixed methods study evaluated the efficacy of a bespoke OA programme for developing school children’s psychological well-being and self-determination during their transition into secondary school. Participants were representantives of ethnic minorities and lower SES groups. A bespoke OA residential programme achieved the strongest scale of change in children’s psychological well-being (F (30,69) = 1.97 < 0.05) and self-determination (effect size 0.25) compared to a generic OA residential and a non-OA school-based induction programme. Qualitative testimonies illuminated personal experiences and processes underpinning the perceived changes in the self-determination domains of Autonomy (the capacity to self-direct learning), Competence (the ability to complete tasks) and Relatedness (developing connections with others). Providing early opportunities for children to take control for their own learning through nature-based tailored OA programming improves their psychological well-being and adaptability to combat transitional stress.

Associations Between Attentional Bias and Interpretation Bias and Change in School Concerns and Anxiety Symptoms During the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

The transition from primary to secondary school is often associated with a period of heightened anxiety and worry. For most children, any feelings of anxiety subside relatively quickly but for a small minority, emotional difficulties can continue into the first year of secondary school and beyond. This study recruited 109 children and measured their anxiety symptoms and school concerns toward the end of primary school and again at the end of their first term of secondary school. We investigated for the first time whether pre-transition measures of attentional and interpretation bias, and the magnitude of change in attentional bias toward and away from threat stimuli were associated with pre- and post-transition measures of anxiety and school concerns, and the change in these measures over time. Over 50% of the current sample exceeded clinical levels of anxiety at pre-transition. However, anxiety symptoms and school concerns had significantly reduced by post-transition. Higher levels of pre-transition anxiety or school concerns, and a greater magnitude of change in attentional bias towards threat stimuli predicted a larger reduction in anxiety symptoms and school concerns across the transition period. A greater interpretation bias toward threat was associated with higher pre-transition anxiety symptoms and school concerns but not post-transition scores, or the change in these scores. While many children experience heightened anxiety prior to school transition, this appears to be largely temporary and self-resolves. Nonetheless, the current findings highlight the importance of monitoring children's anxiety and concerns, and related cognitive processes during this important transition period.

Metacognitive Monitoring of Text Comprehension: An Investigation on Postdictive Judgments in Typically Developing Children and Children With Reading Comprehension Difficulties

The ability to assess and monitor one's own understanding of a written text is fundamental for learning and academic achievement. In the current paper, postdictive monitoring of text comprehension (i.e., the ability to judge the accuracy of responses previously given to a reading comprehension test) was investigated in both typically developing (TD) children and children with reading comprehension difficulties. Children from primary school (3rd to 5th grade) and secondary school (6th to 8th grade) participated in the study (N = 245). They were administered standardized tasks for reading comprehension, in which they had to read two texts and answer 12 multiple-choice questions after each text; subsequently, they had to provide postdictive judgments evaluating their performance: for each answer they had to select whether they judged it as correct, incorrect or whether they were uncertain. Two scores were calculated: Bias score, indicating the difference between metacognitive judgments of accuracy and actual performance; and Accurate estimation, indicating the sum of correct answers judged as "correct" and incorrect answers judged as "incorrect." Results showed that primary school children were more overconfident than secondary school children and made fewer Accurate estimations especially for "correct" responses. Furthermore, the consideration of a group of children with reading comprehension difficulties showed that these failures are linked to worse metacognitive monitoring ability of comprehension performance in comparison not only to age-matched controls but also to the TD group of third-graders. Implications for learning and achievement are discussed.

'Best friends forever'? Friendship stability across school transition and associations with mental health and educational attainment

BACKGROUND

Friendships have been linked to mental health and school attainment in children. The effects of friendlessness and friendship quality have been well researched, but less is known about the role of friendship stability (i.e., maintaining the same friend over time), an aspect of friendship which is often interrupted by the transition between phases of schooling. Many children report concerns about the secondary school transition which introduces a number of new social and academic challenges for children.

AIMS

To explore rates of friendship stability and whether maintaining a stable best friend across the primary to secondary school transition provided benefits to children's adjustment during this period.

SAMPLE

Data were from 593 children (M age = 11 years 2 months).

METHODS

This study used longitudinal data from children transitioning into 10 UK secondary schools and explored the association between self-reported friendship stability and three outcomes: academic attainment, emotional problems and conduct problems. Analyses controlled for friendship quality and pre-transition psychological adjustment or attainment as appropriate.

RESULTS

Rates of friendship stability were relatively low during this period. Children who kept the same best friend had higher academic attainment and lower levels of conduct problems. Exploratory analyses indicated that secondary school policies that group children based on friendships may support friendship stability.

CONCLUSIONS

Helping maintain children's best friendships during the transition to secondary school may contribute to higher academic performance and better mental health.

Development and Validation of the Questionnaire of Academic Stress in Secondary Education: Structure, Reliability and Nomological Validity

This study presents the validation process of the Questionnaire on Academic Stress in Secondary Education (QASSE) designed to assess the wide variety of school sources and situations related to academic stress in adolescence, and their relationship with students’ physical and psychological well-being. The participants were 860 Spanish high school students (52.9% girls) with an average age of 14.62 years (SD = 1.8). Through a cross-validation process, results supported the QASSE multifactorial structure with four first-order factors—academic overload, interaction with classmates, family pressure, and future-oriented perspective—and a second-order factor of academic stress, showing a significant and intense relationship with adolescents’ psychological and physical well-being. Results also highlight the effects of the gender and educational level interaction on the students’ stress, with girls showing higher levels of stress in the transition courses between educational phases (sophomore and junior years). The QASSE demonstrates good validity and reliability, showing potential for both research and educational application. The results show the high impact of the QASSE dimensions on psychological and physical well-being in adolescence, highlighting its special usefulness for designing and adjusting educational prevention and intervention actions in this area to the students’ specific characteristics and needs.

A Review of the Academic and Psychological Impact of the Transition to Secondary Education

The transition from primary to secondary education is one of the most stressful events in a young person's life (Zeedyk et al., 2003) and can have a negative impact on psychological well-being and academic achievement. One explanation for these negative impacts is that the transition coincides with early adolescence, a period during which certain psychological disorders (i.e., anxiety disorders) become more salient (Kessler et al., 2005) and marked social, biological, and psychological development occurs (Anderson et al., 2000). This review evaluates the existing literature on the psychological and academic impacts of the transition to secondary education on young adolescents. We examine the factors that plausibly increase or mitigate the risk of developing mental health issues and/or a decline in academic performance during the transition to secondary education. We also review the interplay between psychological health and academic achievement across and beyond the transition. We conclude with a summary of what schools and parents can learn from these findings to support children in a successful transition into secondary education.

Parental perceptions on the transition to secondary school for their child with autism

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the transition to and early experience of secondary school for students with autism from the perspective of their parents. It aimed to gather the parents’ personal accounts of their views of the transition experience for their child and of their perceptions of both the positive and the negative factors inherent in the process of transition. There was an emphasis on seeking useful information for others from the parent’s perception, views and choices.

Design/methodology/approach

As parents were reporting on their own perceptions and also their child’s experiences, a qualitative exploratory descriptive method was required. Thematic analysis was used as a pragmatic method to report on the experiences, meanings and the reality of the transition to secondary school from a parent’s perspective (Braun and Clarke, 2012).

Findings

A variety of supports and strategies were described, parents were unanimous in their emphasis of the importance of communication to them. Parents were concerned about secondary schools not fully understanding the nature of autism, and the impact this can have on their child as an individual. Despite differing perceptions and views on the purpose or end product of secondary educations for their child, all the parents communicated a desire for their child to reach their potential and make progress within the secondary school system.

Research limitations/implications

This was a small qualitative study with a self-selected group of parents in the Republic of Ireland, with fathers underrepresented. It did not take any account from any other stakeholders or the students themselves.

Practical implications

Parents would benefit from more practical support and communication during this time in the child’s education. Their recommendations and personal experiences may serve as a useful reference point for parents preparing for this time in their child’s school life.

Social implications

The study highlights the need to better understand how children with autism can be supported in making social attainments and connections within mainstream secondary schools in Ireland.

Originality/value

There is a small body of knowledge related to the secondary school experience for students with autism. It contributes the parental perspective and highlights areas for further research and practice.

Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict with teachers significantly predicted an increase in conduct problems and hyperactive behaviors. This study supports the significance of student-teacher relationships as a protective factor during students' transition to high-school. Our findings also highlight the importance of relationship quality in preventing students' risk of school failure.

Stress in Portuguese Middle School Transition: A Multilevel Analysis

Transition from elementary to middle school is commonly seen as a period of stress, impacting students’ school adjustment. The present longitudinal study aimed to analyze the difference in stress levels between the end of 4th grade and 5th grade, while also analyzing gender differences and 5th grade retention. Two hundred fifty-eight 4th grade students (Mage = 9.55; SD = 0.77) from six Portuguese public schools, from the municipality of Torres Vedras, participated in this study. Self-report questionnaires were administered at the end of the 4th and 5th grades, and 5th grade school records were also collected. Results showed that 5th graders present higher levels of Academic Stress (d = .29) and Teacher/Rules Stress (d = .28). Girls had a greater increase of Peer-related Stress with the transition (p < .01). Students who were retained at the end of 5th grade showed higher increases of Teacher/Rules Stress (p < .05). Intervention programs that aim to support the transition from elementary to middle school are needed, in order to reduce the increase of stress levels at 5th grade and to promote a better school adjustment in the first year of middle school.

Das subjektive Erleben des Übergangs in die weiterführende Schule

Zusammenfassung. Hinsichtlich der Bewältigung des Übergangs in die weiterführende Schule werden in der Literatur differenzielle Entwicklungsverläufe berichtet. Diesbezüglich wird diskutiert, welche Bedeutung die subjektive Antizipation dieses kritischen Lebensereignisses besitzt. Bezug nehmend auf die kognitiv-transaktionale Theorie von Lazarus und Folkman (1987) untersucht die vorliegende Studie die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Einschätzungen gegenüber dem potentiell stresshaften Ereignis (primary und secondary appraisals) und dem Wohlbefinden nach dem Übergang sowie der retrospektiven Bewertung der Übergangserfahrung. Untersucht wird eine Stichprobe von Berliner Schülerinnen und Schülern beim Übergang von der 6. zur 7. Klasse. Mithilfe latenter Regressionsanalysen kann ein Einfluss der Antizipationen unter Berücksichtigung von Kontrollvariablen bestätigt werden. Insbesondere Antizipationen bezüglich der veränderten Leistungsanforderungen an der weiterführenden Schule erweisen sich als prädiktiv für die Bewältigung des Übergangs. Dabei gehen positive Einschätzungen mit einem positiveren Wohlbefinden und einer positiveren Bewertung des Übergangs einher. Grundlagentheoretische und praktische Implikationen der Resultate werden diskutiert.

Exploring the longitudinal association between interventions to support the transition to secondary school and child anxiety

School transition at around 11-years of age can be anxiety-provoking for children, particularly those with special educational needs (SEN). The present study adopted a longitudinal design to consider how existing transition strategies, categorized into cognitive, behavioral or systemic approaches, were associated with post-transition anxiety amongst 532 typically developing children and 89 children with SEN. Multiple regression analysis indicated that amongst typically developing pupils, systemic interventions were associated with lower school anxiety but not generalized anxiety, when controlling for prior anxiety. Results for children with SEN differed significantly, as illustrated by a Group × Intervention type interaction. Specifically, systemic strategies were associated with lower school anxiety amongst typically developing children and higher school anxiety amongst children with SEN. These findings highlight strategies that schools may find useful in supporting typically developing children over the transition period, whilst suggesting that children with SEN might need a more personalized approach.

A longitudinal study of self-control at the transition to secondary school: Considering the role of pubertal status and parenting

Higher self-control in children and adolescents is associated with a range of positive outcomes in adulthood. However, little is known about the naturalistic development of self-control during early adolescence and the factors that affect this. We examined the role of puberty and parenting style as theoretically important influences on stability and change in self-control. A longitudinal (3 waves), multiple-informant dataset of children entering early adolescence (M = 11 years) was used to explore longitudinal change in self-control using latent growth curve modelling. Children's self-control declined during the one-year study period and declines were associated with children's behavioural and social functioning. Associations with self-control were found for pubertal status and parental warmth and hostility, but not for parental discipline. The findings suggest that during early adolescence, when children make the transition to secondary school, self-control declines. This is particularly the case for those experiencing puberty earlier than their peers. Parent warmth influences the trajectory of self-control during this period.

A cluster randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a school-based cognitive–behavioural therapy programme (FRIENDS) in the reduction of anxiety and improvement in mood in children aged 9/10 years

Background

Anxiety in children is common, impairs everyday functioning and increases the risk of severe mental health disorders in adulthood, yet few children with anxiety are identified and referred for treatment.

Objective

To investigate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a universal school-based preventative programme (FRIENDS) in reducing symptoms of anxiety and low mood.

Design

Cluster randomised controlled trial. Schools (n = 41) were randomly assigned after recruitment on a 1 : 1 : 1 basis to health-led FRIENDS, school-led FRIENDS and usual school provision.

Setting

Primary schools in three local education authorities in the south-west of England.

Participants

Children (n = 1362) aged 9–10 years attending school and participating in personal, social and health education (PSHE).

Interventions

The FRIENDS programme is a cognitive–behavioural therapy programme that develops skills to counter the cognitive, emotional and behavioural aspects of anxiety. The FRIENDS programme was led by either a trained member of the school or a health leader external to the school and was delivered over 9 consecutive weeks. The comparison group received usual school PSHE lessons. Interventions were delivered in the academic year September 2011–July 2012.

Main outcome measures

Clinical effectiveness assessed by child report of symptoms of anxiety (Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale, RCADS); cost-effectiveness based on RCADS and quality-adjusted life-years (Child Health Utility 9 Dimensions, CHU-9D) between baseline and 6 months; process evaluation, evaluation of reach and attrition and qualitative feedback from children, school staff and parents.

Results

At 12 months there was a difference in the adjusted mean RCADS scores for health-led FRIENDS compared with school-led FRIENDS [–3.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) –6.48 to –1.35] and for health-led FRIENDS compared with usual school provision (–2.66, 95% CI –5.22 to –0.09). At 24 months we were able to assess only 43.6% of our cohort. There were few differences in baseline characteristics between completers and non-completers. Child-reported anxiety in all three groups had reduced by 24 months and there were no longer any group effects. There were no between-group effects for any parent- or child-completed secondary outcomes at 12 or 24 months. The cost of the FRIENDS programme was £52–56 per child. We found no evidence that the FRIENDS programme was cost-effective over a 6-month period; however, our subgroup for the economic analysis differed significantly from our main trial cohort.

Conclusions

Although greater reductions in anxiety were noted at 12 months when the FRIENDS programme was delivered by health leaders, these additional benefits were not maintained at 24 months. Children’s anxiety levels improved irrespective of the intervention that they received. Our economic evaluation and 24-month assessment had significant shortcomings. However, the universal delivery of specific anxiety prevention programmes will result in additional costs that may be beyond the finances available to most schools. Future work should identify the active ingredients and potential moderators of universal anxiety programmes to determine whether programme length can be reduced, short-term effectiveness maintained and cost-effectiveness improved. At present, our results find limited evidence to support the universal provision of specific anxiety prevention programmes in UK primary schools.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN23563048.

Funding

The National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.

Belongingness in Early Secondary School: Key Factors that Primary and Secondary Schools Need to Consider

It is unknown if, and how, students redefine their sense of school belongingness after negotiating the transition to secondary school. The current study used longitudinal data from 266 students with, and without, disabilities who negotiated the transition from 52 primary schools to 152 secondary schools. The study presents the 13 most significant personal student and contextual factors associated with belongingness in the first year of secondary school. Student perception of school belongingness was found to be stable across the transition. No variability in school belongingness due to gender, disability or household-socio-economic status (SES) was noted. Primary school belongingness accounted for 22% of the variability in secondary school belongingness. Several personal student factors (competence, coping skills) and school factors (low-level classroom task-goal orientation), which influenced belongingness in primary school, continued to influence belongingness in secondary school. In secondary school, effort-goal orientation of the student and perception of their school's tolerance to disability were each associated with perception of school belongingness. Family factors did not influence belongingness in secondary school. Findings of the current study highlight the need for primary schools to foster belongingness among their students at an early age, and transfer students' belongingness profiles as part of the hand-over documentation. Most of the factors that influenced school belongingness before and after the transition to secondary are amenable to change.

How does support from peers compare with support from adults as students transition to secondary school?

PURPOSE

Understanding how young people navigate the transition from primary to secondary school is critical for preventing the adverse mental health, social, and academic outcomes associated with a difficult transition. This study sought to determine from whom young people receive support before the transition period to help inform the development of future intervention research testing, as well as peer, school, and family-based supports during transition.

METHODS

Data were collected from 1,974 primary school students prior to the transition and again in Term 1 of the first year of secondary school. Students were asked about their expectation of the transition as well as their support from peers, family, and the school. Just over half (52%) of the sample were females with a mean age of 12 years.

RESULTS

Peer, school, and family supports all predicted positive student transition experiences. When in Grade 7 and considering all predictors together, a high level of perceived peer support was the most significant predictor of an expectation of an easy or somewhat easy transition. In Grade 8, again after considering all sources of support, parental presence was the most significant protective predictor of an easy or somewhat easy transition experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Students who expect and experience a positive transition to secondary school are generally well-supported by their peers, school, and family. The most stable influence for young people over the transition period is the presence of families before and after school and future intervention efforts to support young people during transition need to build support from families.

The prevention of anxiety in children through school-based interventions: study protocol for a 24-month follow-up of the PACES project

BACKGROUND

Anxiety in children is common and incapacitating and increases the risk of mental health disorders in adulthood. Although effective interventions are available, few children are identified and referred for specialist treatment. Alternative approaches in which prevention programmes are delivered in school appear promising. However, comparatively little is known about the best intervention leader (health care-led vs. school-led), long-term effects or the primary preventive value of such programmes.

METHODS/DESIGN

Preventing Anxiety in Children through Education in Schools, or PACES, is a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioural therapy prevention programme (FRIENDS) on symptoms of anxiety and low mood in 9- to 10-year-old children. Forty-one schools were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: school-led FRIENDS, health care-led FRIENDS or treatment as usual. Assessments were undertaken at baseline, 6 months and 12 months, with the primary outcome measure being the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale score at 12 months. Secondary outcome measures are changes in self-esteem, worries, bullying and life satisfaction.

DISCUSSION

This protocol summarises the procedure for the 24-month follow-up of this cohort. The study will determine the medium-term effectiveness of an anxiety prevention programme delivered in schools.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN23563048.

A longitudinal study of psychological functioning and academic attainment at the transition to secondary school

This longitudinal study of adolescents in the first year of secondary school, examined the relationship between psychological functioning at the beginning of year 7 (mean age 11.25 years) with attainment at the end of year 7 (mean age 11.78 years). Depressive symptoms, school liking and conduct problems predicted lower attainment across time having controlled for the temporal stability in psychological functioning and attainment. School concerns predicted lower attainment for boys only, and the effects of depressive symptoms on later attainment were significantly stronger for boys compared to girls. School liking - and school concerns for boys - remained significant predictors of attainment when controlling for conduct problems. The transition to secondary school may represent a window of opportunity for developing interventions aimed at improving both pupil psychological functioning and attainment.

Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Environmental School Transition Anxiety Scale

A pilot study was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the Environmental School Transition Anxiety Scale (E-STAS) with a sample of 220 fourth- to sixth-grade students who were about to or had completed their school transition. The results of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the students’ responses on the E-STAS produced a two-factor (Academic and School Organization) structure. The E-STAS scores demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability and 1- to 3-week test score stability. Gender differences were also found on the E-STAS, with females outscoring males. In addition, the results of correlational analyses provided support for the convergent and discriminant validity of the E-STAS scores. Implications of the findings for school professionals are discussed.

A Theoretically Grounded Exploration of the Social and Emotional Outcomes of Transition to Secondary School

Adolescent development involves a complex interplay between genetics, biology, and social and emotional relationships within multiple contexts of home, school and the broader community. The transition from primary to secondary school, coupled with the onset of puberty, can therefore be a difficult period for young people to negotiate at a critical period of their developmental pathway. Using a social ecological perspective, this article examines the impact of the transition experience on adolescent social and emotional health, both immediately following transition to secondary school and at the end of the first year in this new school environment. This 1-year prospective study involving 1,500 Australian Grade 8 secondary school students found that 31% of students in the sample experienced a ‘difficult’ or ‘somewhat difficult’ transition to their new school. This third of the student sample were consequently more likely to experience poorer social and emotional health, including higher levels of depression and anxiety at the end of their first year of secondary school, while controlling for these variables at the time of transition. A central message from this work exemplifies the urgent need for a longitudinal intervention trial to develop best practice guidelines for activities that help ameliorate the negative impact a change in education context can create for adolescents negotiating a rapid metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood.