Understanding the Social-Psychological Mechanisms of an Intervention to Ease the Transition to Middle School

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: The Impact of Perceptions and Relationships in Schools (Table 2)

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that helping students reappraise common social and academic worries during the difficult transition to middle school can improve their academic outcomes. To advance this work, we conducted a pre-registered randomized controlled trial in a new district context targeting students transitioning to 6th grade. With a student survey, we measured five hypothesized mechanisms. Analyses revealed main effects of treatment on students’ internal locus of control, perception of supportive relationships, and reported self-compassion. Interaction effects showed that relative to controls, treatment students reporting a lower baseline sense of belonging, help-seeking behavior, and self-compassion indicated improved post-treatment outcomes on each of the respective measures. These results extend prior studies of belongingness by helping us understand a set of social-psychological mechanisms.

Authors

• Trisha Borman, American Institutes for Research
  Presenting Author

• Geoffrey D. Borman, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• So Jung Park, Korea University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bo Zhu, American Institutes for Research
  Non-Presenting Author