The Impact of Cumulative Change in Early Adolescence

This article examines the impact of experiencing several major life transitions simultaneously in early adolescence. For many children, entry into the new life period of adolescence is marked by the transition from a relatively intimate elementary school setting into a more complex, impersonal junio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child development 1987-10, Vol.58 (5), p.1220-1234
Main Authors: Simmons, Roberta G., Burgeson, Richard, Carlton-Ford, Steven, Blyth, Dale A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adolescence
Adolescent
Adolescents
Biological and medical sciences
Children
Developmental psychology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Grade 7
Grade point average
High schools
Humans
Junior high schools
Life Change Events
Life Events
Life Stage Transitions
Male
Personality Development
Psychological Tests
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Puberty
Risk Factors
Secondary Education
Self esteem
Social Environment
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Summary:This article examines the impact of experiencing several major life transitions simultaneously in early adolescence. For many children, entry into the new life period of adolescence is marked by the transition from a relatively intimate elementary school setting into a more complex, impersonal junior high school environment. This major shift in organizational context is often accompanied by dramatic changes in biology and social definition. We hypothesized that transitions will be easier for children to cope with if the various adolescent changes come into focus at different stages rather than simultaneously. In a longitudinal study conducted in a large Midwestern city, schoolchildren were followed from sixth into seventh grade in 2 different types of school systems. The effect of multiple life changes (school transition, pubertal development, early dating behavior, residential mobility, family disruption) on students' self-esteem, academic grade-point average, and participation in extracurricular activities was analyzed. The results identify children who are forced to cope with several life transitions concurrently as a group at risk. Theoretical implications are discussed, with development of the notion that individuals need an "arena of comfort" in at least some spheres of their lives.
ISSN:0009-3920
1467-8624
DOI:10.2307/1130616