Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Middle School Transition from the Strengths Perspective: Young Adolescents’ Character Strengths, Subjective Well-Being, and School Adjustment

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Happiness Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study examined the longitudinal associations of adolescents’ character strengths with subjective well-being and school adjustment during the pivotal period of the transition to middle school. The study followed 417 students and 13 teachers from four public middle schools in the center of Israel during seventh and eighth grade. Students completed questionnaires about their character strengths, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affects. Students’ school adjustment was measured through grade point average and questionnaires given to the students’ teachers. Findings provided extensive support for the associations among character strengths, subjective well-being (SWB), and middle school adjustment. Intellectual and temperance strengths were central in the prediction of students’ school performance and achievements. Interpersonal strengths were significantly related to social functioning at school. Temperance and transcendence strengths were robust positive predictors of students’ SWB. The findings extend existing knowledge about character and its relation to optimal functioning and well-being among young adolescents, and have important practical implications for applying strengths-building practices at middle schools.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bakker, M. P., Ormel, J., Verhulst, F. C., & Oldehinkel, A. J. (2011). Adolescent family adversity and mental health problems: the role of adaptive self-regulation capacities. The TRAILS study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 39(3), 341–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baltes, P. B., Lindenberger, U., & Staudinger, U. M. (2006). Lifespan theory in developmental psychology. In W. Damon (Series Ed.) & R. M. Lerner (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 1. Theoretical models of human development (6th ed., pp. 569–664). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

  • Bellmore, A. (2011). Peer rejection and unpopularity: Associations with GPAs across the transition to middle school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(2), 282–295. doi:10.1037/a0023312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benard, B. (1991). Fostering resiliency in kids: Protective factors in the family, school and community. San Francisco, CA: Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Hamilton, S. F., & Sesma, A., Jr. (2006). Positive youth development: Theory, research and applications. In W. Damon & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology (6th ed., pp. 894–941). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Leffert, N., & Roehlkepartain, E. (1999). The fragile foundation: The state of developmental assets among American youth. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blyth, D. A., Simmons, R. G., & Carlton-Ford, S. L. (1983). The adjustment of early adolescents to school transitions. Journal of Early Adolescence, 3, 105–120. doi:10.1177/027243168331008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bronk, K. C. (2011). Portraits of purpose: The role of purpose in identity formation. Youth Development, 132, 31–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bronk, K. C. (2012). A grounded theory of youth purpose. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27, 78–109. doi:10.1177/0743558411412958.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bronk, K. C., Finch, W. H., & Talib, T. (2010). The prevalence of a purpose in life among high ability adolescents. High Ability Studies, 21(2), 133–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, B. B., & Klute, C. (2003). Cliques, crowds, and friendships. In G. R. Adams & M. Berzonsky (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent development (pp. 330–348). London: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlsgaard, K. K. (2005). Is virtue more than its own reward? Character strengths and their relation to well-being in a prospective longitudinal study of middle school-aged adolescents. Dissertation abstracts international: Section B: The sciences and engineering, p. 3441.

  • Damon, W. (2008). The path to purpose: How young people find their calling in life. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danielsen, A. G., Samdal, O., Hetland, J., & Wold, B. (2009). School-related social support and students’ perceived life satisfaction. The Journal of Educational Research, 102(4), 303–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Debats, D. L. (1998). Measurement of personal meaning: The psychometric properties of the life regard index. In P. T. P. Wong & P. S. Fry (Eds.), The human quest for meaning: A handbook of psychological research and clinical applications (pp. 237–259). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., Vallerand, R. J., Pelletier, L. G., & Ryan, R. M. (1991). Motivation and education: The self-determination perspective. Educational Psychologist, 26, 325–346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (1994). Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities. Social Indicators Research, 31, 103–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness, and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55, 34–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A., & Sherrill, M. R. (2006). Deviant peer group effects in youth mental health interventions. In J. E. Lansford, K. Dodge, & T. J. Dishion (Eds.), Deviant peer influences in programs for youth: Problems and solutions (pp. 97–121). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dotterer, A. M., McHale, S. M., & Crouter, A. C. (2009). The development and correlates of academic interests from childhood through adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101, 509–519. doi:10.1037/a0013987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duchesne, S., Ratelle, C. F., Poitras, S. C., & Drouin, E. (2009). Early adolescent attachment to parents, emotional problems, and teacher-academic worries about the middle school transition. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 29(5), 743–766. doi:10.1177/0272431608325502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ebesutani, C., Smith, A., Bernstein, A., Chorpita, B. F., Higa-McMillan, C., & Nakamura, B. J. (2011). A bifactor model of negative affectivity: Fear and distress components among younger and older youth. Psychological Assessment, 23, 679–691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J. S. (1983). Expectancies, values, and academic behavior. In J. T. Spencer (Ed.), Achievement and achievement motivation: Psychological and sociological approaches (pp. 75–146). San Francisco, CA: Freeman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J., & Gootman, J. A. (2002). Community programs to promote youth development. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J. S., Midgley, C., Wigfield, A., Buchanan, C. M., Reuman, D., & Flanagan, C. (1993). Development during adolescence: The impact of stage-environment fit on young adolescents’ experiences in schools and families. American Psychologist, 48, 90–101. doi:10.1037/10254-034.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N. (1986). Altruistic emotion, cognition and behavior. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N., & Fabes, R. A. (1998). Prosocial development. In W. Damon (Series Ed.) & N. Eisenberg (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3. Social, emotional, and personality development (5th ed., pp. 701–778). New York: Wiley.

  • Eisenberg, N., Zhou, Q., & Koller, S. (2001). Brazilian adolescents’ prosocial moral judgment and behavior: Relations to sympathy, perspective taking, gender-role orientation, and demographic characteristics. Child Development, 72, 518–534. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ford, D. H., & Lerner, R. M. (1992). Developmental systems theory: An integrative approach. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredricks, J. A., & Eccles, J. S. (2002). Children’s competence and value beliefs from childhood to adolescence: Growth trajectories in two “male-typed” domains. Developmental Psychology, 38, 519–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • French, S., & Joseph, S. (1999). Religiosity and its association with happiness, purpose in life, and self-actualization. Mental Health, Religion, & Culture, 2(2), 117–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Froh, J. J., Bono, G., & Emmons, R. (2010). Being grateful is beyond good manners: Gratitude and motivation to contribute to society among early adolescents. Motivation and Emotion, 34(2), 144–157. doi:10.1007/s11031-010-9163-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillham, J., Adams-Deutsch, Z., Werner, J., Reivich, K., Coulter-Heindl, V., Linkins, M., et al. (2011). Character strengths predict subjective well-being during adolescence. Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(1), 31–44. doi:10.1080/17439760.2010.536773.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilman, R., & Huebner, E. S. (2006). Characteristics of adolescents who report very high life satisfaction. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(3), 311–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilmore, L. A., & Boulton-Lewis, G. M. (2009). ‘Just try harder and you will shine’: A study of 20 lazy children. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 19(2), 95–103. doi:10.1375/ajgc.19.2.95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G. S. (1904). Adolescence: Its psychology and its relation to physiology, anthropology, sociology, sex, crime, religion, and education (Vol. I & II). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, D., & Carlo, G. (2005). Moral development in adolescence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15, 223–233. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2005.00094.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harter, S., Whitesell, N., & Kowalski, P. (1992). Individual-differences in the effects of educational transitions on young adolescent’s perceptions of competence and motivational orientation. American Educational Research Journal, 29(4), 777–807. doi:10.2307/1163407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L. (1981). The philosophy of moral development: Moral stages and the idea of justice. San Francisco, CA: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L., & Candee, D. (1984). The relationship of moral judgment to moral action. In W. M. Kurtines & J. L. Gewirtz (Eds.), Morality, moral behavior, and moral development (pp. 52–73). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, G. W., & Dinella, L. M. (2009). Continuity and change in early school engagement: Predictive of children’s achievement trajectories from first to eighth grade? Journal of Educational Psychology, 101, 190–206. doi:10.1037/a0013153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laurent, J., Catanzaro, S. J., Joiner, T. E., Rudolph, K. D., Potter, K. I., Lambert, S., et al. (1999). A measure of positive and negative affect for children: Scale development and preliminary validation. Psychological Assessment, 11(3), 326–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lerner, R. M. (1998). Theories of human development: Contemporary perspectives. In W. Damon & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology (5th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 1–24). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, A. D., Huebner, E. S., Reschly, A. L., & Valois, R. F. (2009). The incremental validity of positive emotions in predicting school functioning. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27, 397–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marks, H. M. (2000). Student engagement in instructional activity: Patterns in the elementary, middle, and high school years. American Educational Research Journal, 37, 153–184. doi:10.2307/1163475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., Craven, R. G., Hinkley, J. W., & Debus, R. L. (2003). Evaluation of the Big-Two-Factor Theory of academic motivation orientations: An evaluation of jingle-jangle fallacies. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 38(2), 189–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDougall, P., & Shelley, H. (1998). Moving into middle school: Individual differences in the transition experience. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 30, 108–120. doi:10.1037/h0085811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NCSE—The National Center for School Engagement. (2006). Quantifying school engagement: Research report. Denver, CO: National Center for School Engagement.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pajares, F. (2001). Toward a positive psychology of academic motivation. Journal of Educational Research, 95(1), 27–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N. (2004). Character strengths and positive youth development. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591, 40–54. doi:10.1177/0002716203260079.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2006a). Moral competence and character strengths among adolescents: The development and validation of the values in action inventory of strengths for youth. Journal of Adolescence, 29, 891–910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2006b). Character strengths and happiness among young children: Content analysis of parental descriptions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 323–341. doi:10.1007/s10902-005-3648-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2008). Positive psychology and character strengths: Application to strengths-based school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 85–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2010). Does it matter where we live? The urban psychology of character strengths. American Psychologist, 65(6), 535–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 603–619. doi:10.1521/jscp.23.5.603.50748.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (1993). Review of the satisfaction with life scale. Psychological Assessment, 5, 164–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, A. C., & Hamburg, B. A. (1986). Adolescence: A developmental approach to problems and psychopathology. Behavior Therapy, 17, 480–499. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(86)80090-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C., & Park, N. (2004). Classification and measurement of character strengths: Implications for practice. In P. A. Linley & S. Joseph (Eds.), Positive psychology in practice (pp. 433–446). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A classification and handbook. NewYork/Washington, DC: Oxford University Press/American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International University Press. (Original work published 1936).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelli, M., Crockett, L. J., & Shen, Y. (2005). Developmental stability and change in self-regulation from childhood to adolescence. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 166, 54–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reschly, A. L., Huebner, E. S., Appleton, J. J., & Antaramian, S. (2008). Engagement as flourishing: The contribution of affect and coping to adolescents’ engagement at school and with learning. Psychology in the Schools, 45, 419–431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roth, J. L., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2003). What exactly is a youth development program? Answers from research and practice. Applied Developmental Science, 7, 94–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sawatzky, R., Gadermann, A., & Pesut, B. (2009). An investigation of the relationships between spirituality, health status and quality of life in adolescents. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 4(1), 5–22. doi:10.1007/s11482-009-9065-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scales, P., Benson, P., Leffert, N., & Blyth, D. A. (2000). The contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving among adolescents. Applied Developmental Science, 4, 27–46. doi:10.1207/S1532480XADS0401_3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schunk, D. H., & Pajares, F. (2002). The development of academic self-efficacy. In A. Wigfield & J. Eccles (Eds.), Development of achievement motivation (pp. 16–31). San Diego: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5–14. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., Rashid, T., & Parks, A. C. (2006). Positive psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 61, 774–788.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shryack, J., Steger, M., Krueger, R., & Kallie, C. (2010). The structure of virtue: An empirical investigation of the dimensionality of the virtues in action inventory of strengths. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(6), 714–719.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, R. G., Burgeson, R., Carlton-Ford, S., & Blyth, D. (1987). The impact of cumulative change in early adolescence. Child Development, 58, 1220–1234. doi:10.2307/1130616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R., Hoza, B., Pelham, W. E., Rapoff, M., Ware, L., Danovsky, M., et al. (1997). The development and validation of the children’s hope scale. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 22(3), 399–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R., Lopez, S. J., Shorey, H. S., Rand, K. L., & Feldman, D. B. (2003). Hope theory, measurements, and applications to school psychology. School Psychology Quarterly, 18(3), 122–139. doi:10.1521/scpq.18.2.122.21854.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, T., & Suldo, S. M. (2011). Relationships between social support sources and early adolescents’ mental health: The moderating effect of student achievement level. Psychology in the Schools, 48, 1016–1033.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suldo, S., Thalji, A., & Ferron, J. (2011). Longitudinal academic outcomes predicted by early adolescents’ subjective well-being, psychopathology, and mental health status yielded from a dual factor model. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 6, 17–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The School Adjustment Report—CPPRG. (2001). Conduct problems prevention research group. School adjustment report: Grade 6 technical report. Unpublished technical report.

  • Underwood, B., & Moore, B. (1982). Perspective-taking and altruism. Psychological Bulletin, 91, 143–173. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.91.1.143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urdan, T., & Midgley, C. (2003). Changes in the perceived classroom goal structure and patterns of adaptive learning during early adolescence. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 28, 524–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanlede, M., Little, T. D., & Card, N. A. (2006). Action-control beliefs and behaviors as predictors of change in adjustment across the transition to middle school. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 19, 111–127. doi:10.1080/10615800600632896.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vukman, K. B., & Licardo, M. (2010). How cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and emotional self-regulation influence school performance in adolescence and early adulthood. Educational Studies, 36(3), 259–268. doi:10.1080/03055690903180376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentzel, K. R. (1998). Social support and adjustment in middle school: The role of parents, teachers, and peers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 202–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentzel, K. R. (1999). Social-motivational processes and interpersonal relationships: Implications for understanding motivation at school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 76–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wenz-Gross, M., Siperstein, G. N., Untch, A. S., & Widaman, K. F. (1997). Stress, social support, and adjustment of adolescents in middle school. Journal of Early Adolescence, 17, 129–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, P.O.Box 167, 46150, Herzliya, Israel

    Anat Shoshani

  2. School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Michelle Slone

Authors
  1. Anat Shoshani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michelle Slone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anat Shoshani.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shoshani, A., Slone, M. Middle School Transition from the Strengths Perspective: Young Adolescents’ Character Strengths, Subjective Well-Being, and School Adjustment. J Happiness Stud 14, 1163–1181 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9374-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9374-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation