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Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence 10/2017

03-08-2017 | Empirical Research

Understanding Students’ Transition to High School: Demographic Variation and the Role of Supportive Relationships

Auteurs: Aprile D. Benner, Alaina E. Boyle, Farin Bakhtiari

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence | Uitgave 10/2017

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Abstract

The transition to high school is disruptive for many adolescents, yet little is known about the supportive relational processes that might attenuate the challenges students face as they move from middle to high school, particularly for students from more diverse backgrounds. Identifying potential buffers that protect youth across this critical educational transition is important for informing more effective support services for youth. In this study, we investigated how personal characteristics (gender, nativity, parent education level) and changes in support from family, friends, and school influenced changes in socioemotional adjustment and academic outcomes across the transition from middle to high school. The data were drawn from 252 students (50% females, 85% Latina/o). The results revealed declines in students’ grades and increases in depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness across the high school transition, with key variation by student nativity and gender. Additionally, stable/increasing friend support and school belonging were both linked to less socioemotional disruptions as students moved from middle to high school. Increasing/stable school belonging was also linked to increases in school engagement across the high school transition. These findings suggest that when high school transitions disrupt supportive relationships with important others in adolescents’ lives, adolescents’ socioemotional well-being and, to a lesser extent, their academic engagement are also compromised. Thus, in designing transition support activities, particularly for schools serving more low-income and race/ethnic minority youth, such efforts should strive to acclimate new high school students by providing inclusive, caring environments and positive connections with educators and peers.
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Metagegevens
Titel
Understanding Students’ Transition to High School: Demographic Variation and the Role of Supportive Relationships
Auteurs
Aprile D. Benner
Alaina E. Boyle
Farin Bakhtiari
Publicatiedatum
03-08-2017
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Journal of Youth and Adolescence / Uitgave 10/2017
Print ISSN: 0047-2891
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-6601
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0716-2

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