Perceived stress and transition of seventh grade students to the middle school

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived level of stress early adolescents associate with academic, social, daily routine, rules, personnel and authority, and extracurricular activities. The stressors during the transition from elementary school to middle school as measured by a Likert scale developed on transition stressors. This study also identifies transition program concepts for students moving from elementary school to the middle school level. The objectives of the study were to: (1) describe the six categories of stressors related to the middle school transition process, (2) determine the most common needs of new seventh grade students in regard to academic stressors, (3) determine the most common needs of new seventh grade students in relation to social stressors, (4) determine the most common needs of new seventh grade students in stress-related aspects of daily routine, (5) determine the most common needs of new seventh grade students in relation to learning the middle school rules, (6) determine the most common needs of new seventh grade students in developing relationships with middle school personnel and authority figures, (7) determine the most common needs of new seventh grade students in relation to their involvement in extracurricular activities, (8) describe how gender affects student’s stressors related to the transition process, (9) describe how birth order affects student’s stressors related to the transition process, and (10) describe how participation in the “Moving On” transition program affects student’s stressors related to the transition process. In August, 1999 one section of the new seventh grade students in a Southeastern Wisconsin school district responded to the questionnaire designed by the researcher. The survey consisted of two parts. The first part required the students to respond to 43 attitude statements on a 5 point Likert Scale. In the second section students indicated pertinent demographic information including: gender, birth order, elementary school location, and participation in the transition program. The responses from the questionnaire were computed using mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage and t-test analysis. Specific findings in this study were: (1) students who participated in “Moving On” were less stressed about the transition process, (2) significant differences were found between male and female responses on daily routine and social stressors, (3) each category of transition stressors had several top concerns that students indicated. Recommendations for future research concerning the transition process of elementary students to middle school include: (1) continue research by surveying the students who attend the “Moving On” program, (2) survey all seventh grade students at the beginning, middle, and end of the seventh grade school year, and (3) conduct additional research including the seventh grade teachers and their planning process for transition.