The importance of school climate during early middle school transition

 

Submission type

Symposium

Scheduled

Room 120, 12-07-2019, 09:00 - 10:30

Keywords

school climate, middle school transition, bullying

Summary of Symposium

The current symposium focuses on the role of school climate as an important variable to take into account during middle school transition. In Portugal, this theme has special importance given that middle school transition takes place at nine years of age.

The four presentations will focus on different variables relevant for this transition. While the first presentation presents the Portuguese adaptation of the instrument used to assess middle school, the other three presentation will focus on the evolution of school climate during this transition and on how school climate influences the self-concept, self-esteem and bullying roles during this period.

Auteurs

The influence of school climate upon bullying roles during middle school transition

Sousa, V (Vanda)¹, Coelho, V A (Vítor)¹, Brás, P M (Patrícia)¹, Romão, A M (Ana Maria)^1
1Académico de Torres Vedras, Travessa do Quebra-Costas, 9, 2560703, Torres Vedras

 

Abstract ID

-4

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

Bullying, School Climate, Middle School Transition

Summary

 

In Portugal, middle school transition takes place at an early age (around nine years) and is a very extensive change to the students’ school experience. Student go from being the oldest in elementar school to the youngest in middle school, social networks are disrupted. Therefore, bullying incident tend to increase after transition. This study analyzes how bullying roles evolve during middle school transition and if school climate influences bullying roles during this period. The sample was composed by 404 4th grade students (49.4% girls; Mage = 9.40, SD = 0.67). Results showed that the rate of reported bullying increases after middle school, particularly the number of victimized students, and the frequency of victimization, increases after middle school transition. However, school climate is a moderating variable, schools where students have a more positive perception of school climate in the beginning of middle school displayed smaller increases in bullying victimization. The results of the present study support the importance of supporting schools during middle school transition and also the importance of schools fostering positive school climates during school transition periods.

Auteurs

The influence of school climate upon the trajectories of self-concept and self-esteem during middle school transition

Coelho, V A (Vítor)¹, Romão, A M (Ana Maria)¹, Brás, P M (Patrícia)^1
1Académico de Torres Vedras, Travessa do Quebra-Costas, 9, 2560703, Torres Vedras

 

Abstract ID

-3

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, School Climate

Summary

 

Previous studies have established that, in Portugal, the precocious moment of middle school transition leads to a decrease in academic, social and emotional self-concept earlier. The current study aimed to analyze if school climate influenced the trajectories of self-concept and self-esteem during middle school transition, as well as the possible moderating influence of gender and difference in class size upon that relationship. The sample was composed by 404 4th grade students (49.4% girls; Mage = 9.40, SD = 0.67). Results showed that students who had more positive perceptions of school climate in the beginning of middle school displayed a more positive trajectory in all dimensions of self-concept (academic, social and emotional) and self-esteem during the transition to middle school. No gender differences were found for the influence of school climate upon the trajectories of self-concept and self-esteem during middles school transition. However, students who came from larger 4th grade classes had higher levels of initial school climate in middle school and displayed more positive trajectories of social and emotional self-concept throughout middle school transition. The results of the present study support the importance of schools fostering positive school climates, especially during school transition periods.

Auteurs

Trajectory of School Climate during middle school transition

Brás, P M (Patrícia)¹, Romão, A M (Ana Maria)¹, Coelho, V A (Vítor)^1
1Académico de Torres Vedras, Travessa do Quebra-Costas, 9, 2560703, Torres Vedras

 

Abstract ID

-2

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

school climate, middle school transition

Summary

 

 

In Portugal, middle school transition occurs earlier impacting on students’ well-being. The present study aimed to analyze the impact of middle school transition upon climate dimensions, with gender and class size as moderating variables. The sample was composed by 313 4th grade students (50.5% girls; Mage = 9.22, SD = 0.69). Results showed a negative impact of middle school transition upon school climate, with a decline in all dimensions. Regarding gender differences, boys reported steeper declines in fairness of rules, school liking and teacher-student relationships. No significant differences were found according to 4th grade class sizes. Future studies should analyze how school climate dimensions evolves throughout middle school.

Auteurs

Validation of the Portuguese version of Delaware School Climate Survey - Students

Romão, A M (Ana Maria)¹, Brás, P A (Patrícia)¹, Sousa, V (Vanda)¹, Coelho, V A (Vítor)^1
1Académico de Torres Vedras, Travessa do Quebra-Costas, 9, 2560703, Torres Vedras

 

Abstract ID

-1

Submission type

Oral only

Keywords

school climate, assessment

Summary

 

The present study aimed to validate the Delaware School Climate Survey - Students (DSCS-S) for use in Portugal. The validation sample was composed by 895 students (49.9% girls; Mage = 11.36, SD = 1.79) from the 4th to the 8th grade. A Confirmatory Factorial Analysis confirmed that the Portuguese version of the DSCS-S had a sound factorial factorial structure, replicating the original version, bifactor model consisting of five specific factors (student-student relationships, fairness of rules, school safety, school liking and teacher-student relationships and one general factor (School Climate). The Portuguese version of the DSCS-S also displayed good psychometric characteristics, with good values for internal consistency. Therefore, the final version of the Portuguese DSCS-S had 21 items and is an instrument ready for use for researchers and practitioners who are looking for a short, but comprehensive, survey to assess school climate in Portuguese schools.

Auteurs