The transition from elementary to middle school represents an important challenge for students, whose lives undergo several changes in different areas of development. In fact, with the passage to middle school, for the first time students can exercise their autonomy as they navigate an environment that is less attentive to their individual needs unlike in the elementary school (Smetana, 1988). This school transition is generally associated with changes that can affect the students’ academic adjustment. Specifically, a first difference between elementary and middle school is in the educational programs, which become more complex and require higher academic goals than those of elementary school. The number of subjects to handle also goes up. A next change concerns students’ relationship with their teachers, which in elementary school was informal and focused on individual progress, whereas in middle school becomes more formal and detached, characterized by normative valuation criteria. A further challenge is in terms of learning. Students must now master new concepts that are more sophisticated and complex. In addition, with the transition to middle school students are exposed to new classmates and are faced with the loss of some friendships previously cultivated during their elementary school years. Therefore, the passage to middle school represents a great challenge for both students and parents. Students must cope with all the changes described above, and parents must exercise an important role in supporting their children in successfully managing the new challenges and new academic goals (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 1992; Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2001; Bogenschneider, 1997). In this regard, some scholars (Eccles & Midgley, 1989; Eccles, Midgley, & Adler, 1984) have highlighted the importance of parents’ and adolescents’ self-efficacy beliefs during this transitional period, suggesting that high perceived parental efficacy in their ability to positively affect their children’s academic development, and high perceived students’ efficacy in their ability to plan and 5 organize their academic activities, predict higher levels of academic adjustment and achievement. However, few studies (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara & Pastorelli, 1996; Ardelt & Eccles, 2001) have analyzed how parental academic self-efficacy can support their children’s sense of efficacy, necessary for developmental success during this school transition. Accordingly, the overall aim of this dissertation was to analyze the relations among parental self-efficacy in the scholastic domain, children’s academic self-efficacy beliefs and academic functioning during the transition to middle school. Specifically, the first aim of the present dissertation was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of both Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy in School-Related Performance and Adolescents’ Perceived Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning during the transition from elementary to middle school. The second aim was to identify the normative developmental trajectory of Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy in School-Related Performance, and its relations to concurrent and later students’ academic achievement (at the end of middle school). Finally, the third aim was to investigate, during the transition to middle school, the longitudinal bidirectional associations between Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy and Adolescents’ Perceived Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning, and their associations with adolescents’ academic achievement. In this introductory chapter the theoretical framework of the Social Cognitive Theory and an outline of the dissertation will be presented.
Perceived parental self-efficacy and adolescents' self-efficacy during the transition to middle school / Lunetti, Carolina. - (2018 Feb 12).
Perceived parental self-efficacy and adolescents' self-efficacy during the transition to middle school
LUNETTI, CAROLINA
12/02/2018
Abstract
The transition from elementary to middle school represents an important challenge for students, whose lives undergo several changes in different areas of development. In fact, with the passage to middle school, for the first time students can exercise their autonomy as they navigate an environment that is less attentive to their individual needs unlike in the elementary school (Smetana, 1988). This school transition is generally associated with changes that can affect the students’ academic adjustment. Specifically, a first difference between elementary and middle school is in the educational programs, which become more complex and require higher academic goals than those of elementary school. The number of subjects to handle also goes up. A next change concerns students’ relationship with their teachers, which in elementary school was informal and focused on individual progress, whereas in middle school becomes more formal and detached, characterized by normative valuation criteria. A further challenge is in terms of learning. Students must now master new concepts that are more sophisticated and complex. In addition, with the transition to middle school students are exposed to new classmates and are faced with the loss of some friendships previously cultivated during their elementary school years. Therefore, the passage to middle school represents a great challenge for both students and parents. Students must cope with all the changes described above, and parents must exercise an important role in supporting their children in successfully managing the new challenges and new academic goals (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 1992; Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2001; Bogenschneider, 1997). In this regard, some scholars (Eccles & Midgley, 1989; Eccles, Midgley, & Adler, 1984) have highlighted the importance of parents’ and adolescents’ self-efficacy beliefs during this transitional period, suggesting that high perceived parental efficacy in their ability to positively affect their children’s academic development, and high perceived students’ efficacy in their ability to plan and 5 organize their academic activities, predict higher levels of academic adjustment and achievement. However, few studies (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara & Pastorelli, 1996; Ardelt & Eccles, 2001) have analyzed how parental academic self-efficacy can support their children’s sense of efficacy, necessary for developmental success during this school transition. Accordingly, the overall aim of this dissertation was to analyze the relations among parental self-efficacy in the scholastic domain, children’s academic self-efficacy beliefs and academic functioning during the transition to middle school. Specifically, the first aim of the present dissertation was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of both Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy in School-Related Performance and Adolescents’ Perceived Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning during the transition from elementary to middle school. The second aim was to identify the normative developmental trajectory of Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy in School-Related Performance, and its relations to concurrent and later students’ academic achievement (at the end of middle school). Finally, the third aim was to investigate, during the transition to middle school, the longitudinal bidirectional associations between Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy and Adolescents’ Perceived Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning, and their associations with adolescents’ academic achievement. In this introductory chapter the theoretical framework of the Social Cognitive Theory and an outline of the dissertation will be presented.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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Tesi dottorato Lunetti
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