Youth Perceptions of What Is Helpful during the Middle School Transition and Correlates of Transition Difficulty

Jan 23, 2019

cs_41_1_coverThe middle school transition has been identified as a difficult time for youths, resulting in adjustment difficulties across a variety of domains. Although some research has examined strategies that are useful for the adjustment outcomes associated with the transition, more research understanding student perceptions of what is helpful in the middle school transition and adjustment correlations of perceived level of difficulty is needed.

A recent issue of the journal Children & Schools, published by NASW Press, includes an article which describes a study of this issue.   This study surveyed 84 youths approximately 2.5 months after their transition to middle school. Parents were perceived as helpful by almost all students (>90 percent), followed by friends, then teachers. In addition, locker time before the start of school and a tour of the middle school while still in fifth grade were endorsed as helpful by the majority of the students.

Approximately 29 percent of students reported that the middle school transition was difficult, and high levels of transition difficulty were associated with poorer adjustment for both boys and girls, specifically high levels of depressive symptoms and schoolwork difficulty. The article concludes with suggestions for transition strategies.

***

The journal Social Work is a benefit of NASW membership. It is available online or, at a member’s request, in print. Children & Schools, Health & Social Work and Social Work Research are available by subscription at a discounted rate for NASW members, either online or in print. You can find out more about the journals and subscriptions at this link.

Violence in Schools: Social Workers Need to be Part of the Change

Violence in Schools: Social Workers Need to be Part of the Change

By Sue Coyle At 13, eighth-grader Melissa* is no stranger to lockdown drills—drills where students and staff practice what they would do if an active shooter was on campus. She says the drills occur monthly, more frequently at the beginning of the school year, and are...

Celebrate Your 2025 Graduate with the Gift of an NASW Press Book

Celebrate Your 2025 Graduate with the Gift of an NASW Press Book

The NASW Code of Ethics is a set of standards that guide the professional conduct of social workers. The 2021 update includes language that addresses the importance of professional self-care. Moreover, revisions to the Cultural Competence standard provide more...

Categories