Adjusting to and thriving in a new school: Role of students’ expectations, educational attitudes, and resilience during secondary school transition

IF 1.8 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

International Journal of School and Educational Psychology Pub Date : 2023-02-02 DOI:10.1080/21683603.2023.2170939

Diana Kwarikunda, Nakalema Gladys, C. M. Muwonge, J. Ssenyonga, Ulrich Schiefele

{"title":"Adjusting to and thriving in a new school: Role of students’ expectations, educational attitudes, and resilience during secondary school transition","authors":"Diana Kwarikunda, Nakalema Gladys, C. M. Muwonge, J. Ssenyonga, Ulrich Schiefele","doi":"10.1080/21683603.2023.2170939","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT For some students, the transition from primary to secondary school is a difficult and stressful event that can have potential negative effects on their psychological wellbeing, social adaptability, and academic achievement. Although several individual, environmental, and family protective factors have been investigated, direct and indirect contributions of expectations and educational attitudes on resilience have not yet been fully explored. In the present study, using a sample of 744 (8 schools, Study 1) and 39 (3 schools, Study 2) 8th grade (day or boarding) secondary school students in Uganda, we initially explored: (1) gender and residence status differences in transitioning students’ resilience and educational attitudes, (2) predictive effects of educational attitudes, gender and residence status on resilience, (3) the direct and indirect effects of educational attitudes and expectations on resilience, and (4) the students’ perspectives about the transition process. In study 1, data were collected using self-report questionnaires whilst in study 2 data were collected from focus group discussions. Quantitative results indicate that (i) girls reported to have received more physical care for better adjustment than boys, whilst day and male students reported to have received more psychological care during school adjustment than their counterparts, (ii), residence status was a stronger predictor of resilience than were gender and educational attitudes, and (iii) student’s expectations had direct and indirect effects on resilience through educational attitudes. Results of the thematic analyses show that transitioning students have unrealistic expectations and mixed feelings during adjustment. To foster resilience of transitioning students, schools could cultivate a culture of high realistic expectations, peer connectedness, and positive educational attitudes, as well as organize several transitional strategies and activities that involve parents throughout the first year of lower secondary school.","PeriodicalId":52157,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of School and Educational Psychology","volume":"11 1","pages":"259 - 273"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2023-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of School and Educational Psychology","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2023.2170939","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

ABSTRACT For some students, the transition from primary to secondary school is a difficult and stressful event that can have potential negative effects on their psychological wellbeing, social adaptability, and academic achievement. Although several individual, environmental, and family protective factors have been investigated, direct and indirect contributions of expectations and educational attitudes on resilience have not yet been fully explored. In the present study, using a sample of 744 (8 schools, Study 1) and 39 (3 schools, Study 2) 8th grade (day or boarding) secondary school students in Uganda, we initially explored: (1) gender and residence status differences in transitioning students’ resilience and educational attitudes, (2) predictive effects of educational attitudes, gender and residence status on resilience, (3) the direct and indirect effects of educational attitudes and expectations on resilience, and (4) the students’ perspectives about the transition process. In study 1, data were collected using self-report questionnaires whilst in study 2 data were collected from focus group discussions. Quantitative results indicate that (i) girls reported to have received more physical care for better adjustment than boys, whilst day and male students reported to have received more psychological care during school adjustment than their counterparts, (ii), residence status was a stronger predictor of resilience than were gender and educational attitudes, and (iii) student’s expectations had direct and indirect effects on resilience through educational attitudes. Results of the thematic analyses show that transitioning students have unrealistic expectations and mixed feelings during adjustment. To foster resilience of transitioning students, schools could cultivate a culture of high realistic expectations, peer connectedness, and positive educational attitudes, as well as organize several transitional strategies and activities that involve parents throughout the first year of lower secondary school.

查看原文本刊更多论文

适应新学校并在新学校茁壮成长：学生的期望、教育态度和韧性在中学过渡期间的作用

摘要对一些学生来说，从小学到中学的过渡是一个困难和紧张的事件，可能会对他们的心理健康、社会适应能力和学业成绩产生潜在的负面影响。尽管已经调查了几个个人、环境和家庭保护因素，但期望和教育态度对复原力的直接和间接影响尚未得到充分探讨。在本研究中，我们使用乌干达744名（8所学校，研究1）和39名（3所学校，调查2）八年级（走读或寄宿）中学生的样本，初步探讨了：（1）过渡期学生的复原力和教育态度的性别和居住状况差异，（2）教育态度、性别和居住状态对复原力的预测作用，（3）教育态度和期望对韧性的直接和间接影响，以及（4）学生对过渡过程的看法。在研究1中，数据是使用自我报告问卷收集的，而在研究2中，数据是从焦点小组讨论中收集的。定量结果表明：（i）据报道，女孩比男孩接受了更多的身体护理，以更好地适应，而走读生和男学生在学校适应期间接受了比同龄人更多的心理护理；（ii）居住状况比性别和教育态度更能预测复原力，以及（iii）学生的期望通过教育态度对复原力有直接和间接的影响。专题分析结果表明，转型期学生在适应过程中存在不切实际的期望和复杂的情绪。为了培养过渡学生的适应力，学校可以培养一种具有高度现实期望、同伴联系和积极教育态度的文化，并在初中一年级组织一些让家长参与的过渡策略和活动。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

International Journal of School and Educational Psychology Social Sciences-Education

CiteScore

4.00

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： The International Journal of School & Educational Psychology (IJSEP) is the official journal of The International School Psychology Association (ISPA) and is a broad-based, interdisciplinary journal addressing issues of professional importance to the success of children, youth, and families in academics and in life. IJSEP seeks to bridge the gap in psychological and evidence-based practices in schools, and senior practitioners alike are invited to contribute papers to the journal. The Editor-in-Chief, Editors, and Editorial Board are made up of prominent scientists, scholars, and senior practitioners from around the world, and include eminent international and multidisciplinary reviewers who make recommendations about what articles should be published. The journal is unique in that it attempts to include the views of different individuals, and also seek to assist new researchers and practitioners in developing their scholarship. IJSEP follows a rigorous and double-blind anonymous peer review process and requires authors to meet all stylistic and ethical guidelines put forth in the most recent APA Publication Manual. The journal accepts empirical papers using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method methodologies that contribute to the knowledge base of any critical, international school or educational issues. Emphasizing the publication of outstanding research articles, IJSEP also considers literature reviews, methodological or theoretical statements related to teaching, learning, schooling, cross-cultural psychology, school psychological services, applied educational psychology, educational research, assessment, new models of instruction, and other school-related areas. While we realize that most learning takes place between ages 0 and 21, IJSEP also focuses on adult learning, special education services with individuals of all ages, and learning and schooling across the life-span.