The impact of the transition from primary school to secondary school on young adolescents

C. Fontaine; C. Connor; S. Channa; C. Palmer; M. Birchwood

doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.2086

Abstract

Introduction
Previous research suggests that adult anxiety disorders begin in adolescence and the transition from primary school to secondary school is the first challenge many young adolescents face, which could test their resilience for the first time.

Objectives
To examine students’ anxiety scores before and after their transition, and what protective and risk factors are present during this challenge.

Aims
To determine how the transition can impact anxiety in children, and if protective factors can help decrease the disruption that the transition can cause.

Methods
One hundred and eighty-four pupils completed questionnaires in their last term of primary school and during the first term of secondary school. At time 1: the attachment, school membership, and bullying and victimization measures were compared with pupils’ anxiety scores, along with whether their friends or siblings will be attending the same secondary school as them. These analyses will also be conducted once the pupils start secondary school, at time 2.

Results
Secure attachment was associated with lower anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.56) = 7.255, P = .002; F(2.52) = 19.245, P = .000; F(2.181) = 10.181, P = .000; F(2.53) = 20.545, P = .000). School membership was associated with lower transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 4.151, P = .017; F(2.181) = 3.632, P = .028). Low victimisation was also associated with low anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 14.024, P = .000; F(2.181) = 14.529, P = .000; F(2.181) = 9.381, P = .000).

Conclusions
These preliminary results suggest that attachment, school membership and victimisation all impact on pupils anxiety before they transition to secondary school. Therefore, schools could work together to increase school membership and decrease victimisation, particularly for pupils who they suspect will struggle with the transition.

Disclosure of interest
The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Original language	English
Article number	EW0216
Pages (from-to)	S179-S180
Number of pages	2
Journal	European Psychiatry
Volume	41
Issue number	S1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.2086
Publication status	Published - Apr 2017
Externally published	Yes
Event	European Congress of Psychiatry (25th : 2017) - Florence, Italy Duration: 1 Apr 2017 → 4 Apr 2017

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10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.2086

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@article{79d33f58842e4f3292e6223906d6da0a,

title = "The impact of the transition from primary school to secondary school on young adolescents",

abstract = "Introduction Previous research suggests that adult anxiety disorders begin in adolescence and the transition from primary school to secondary school is the first challenge many young adolescents face, which could test their resilience for the first time. Objectives To examine students{\textquoteright} anxiety scores before and after their transition, and what protective and risk factors are present during this challenge. Aims To determine how the transition can impact anxiety in children, and if protective factors can help decrease the disruption that the transition can cause. Methods One hundred and eighty-four pupils completed questionnaires in their last term of primary school and during the first term of secondary school. At time 1: the attachment, school membership, and bullying and victimization measures were compared with pupils{\textquoteright} anxiety scores, along with whether their friends or siblings will be attending the same secondary school as them. These analyses will also be conducted once the pupils start secondary school, at time 2. Results Secure attachment was associated with lower anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.56) = 7.255, P = .002; F(2.52) = 19.245, P = .000; F(2.181) = 10.181, P = .000; F(2.53) = 20.545, P = .000). School membership was associated with lower transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 4.151, P = .017; F(2.181) = 3.632, P = .028). Low victimisation was also associated with low anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 14.024, P = .000; F(2.181) = 14.529, P = .000; F(2.181) = 9.381, P = .000). Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that attachment, school membership and victimisation all impact on pupils anxiety before they transition to secondary school. Therefore, schools could work together to increase school membership and decrease victimisation, particularly for pupils who they suspect will struggle with the transition. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.",

author = "C. Fontaine and C. Connor and S. Channa and C. Palmer and M. Birchwood",

year = "2017",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.2086",

language = "English",

volume = "41",

pages = "S179--S180",

journal = "European Psychiatry",

issn = "0924-9338",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press (CUP)",

number = "S1",

note = "European Congress of Psychiatry (25th : 2017) ; Conference date: 01-04-2017 Through 04-04-2017",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The impact of the transition from primary school to secondary school on young adolescents

AU - Fontaine, C.

AU - Connor, C.

AU - Channa, S.

AU - Palmer, C.

AU - Birchwood, M.

PY - 2017/4

Y1 - 2017/4

N2 - Introduction Previous research suggests that adult anxiety disorders begin in adolescence and the transition from primary school to secondary school is the first challenge many young adolescents face, which could test their resilience for the first time. Objectives To examine students’ anxiety scores before and after their transition, and what protective and risk factors are present during this challenge. Aims To determine how the transition can impact anxiety in children, and if protective factors can help decrease the disruption that the transition can cause. Methods One hundred and eighty-four pupils completed questionnaires in their last term of primary school and during the first term of secondary school. At time 1: the attachment, school membership, and bullying and victimization measures were compared with pupils’ anxiety scores, along with whether their friends or siblings will be attending the same secondary school as them. These analyses will also be conducted once the pupils start secondary school, at time 2. Results Secure attachment was associated with lower anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.56) = 7.255, P = .002; F(2.52) = 19.245, P = .000; F(2.181) = 10.181, P = .000; F(2.53) = 20.545, P = .000). School membership was associated with lower transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 4.151, P = .017; F(2.181) = 3.632, P = .028). Low victimisation was also associated with low anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 14.024, P = .000; F(2.181) = 14.529, P = .000; F(2.181) = 9.381, P = .000). Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that attachment, school membership and victimisation all impact on pupils anxiety before they transition to secondary school. Therefore, schools could work together to increase school membership and decrease victimisation, particularly for pupils who they suspect will struggle with the transition. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

AB - Introduction Previous research suggests that adult anxiety disorders begin in adolescence and the transition from primary school to secondary school is the first challenge many young adolescents face, which could test their resilience for the first time. Objectives To examine students’ anxiety scores before and after their transition, and what protective and risk factors are present during this challenge. Aims To determine how the transition can impact anxiety in children, and if protective factors can help decrease the disruption that the transition can cause. Methods One hundred and eighty-four pupils completed questionnaires in their last term of primary school and during the first term of secondary school. At time 1: the attachment, school membership, and bullying and victimization measures were compared with pupils’ anxiety scores, along with whether their friends or siblings will be attending the same secondary school as them. These analyses will also be conducted once the pupils start secondary school, at time 2. Results Secure attachment was associated with lower anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.56) = 7.255, P = .002; F(2.52) = 19.245, P = .000; F(2.181) = 10.181, P = .000; F(2.53) = 20.545, P = .000). School membership was associated with lower transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 4.151, P = .017; F(2.181) = 3.632, P = .028). Low victimisation was also associated with low anxiety and transition anxiety (F(2.181) = 14.024, P = .000; F(2.181) = 14.529, P = .000; F(2.181) = 9.381, P = .000). Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that attachment, school membership and victimisation all impact on pupils anxiety before they transition to secondary school. Therefore, schools could work together to increase school membership and decrease victimisation, particularly for pupils who they suspect will struggle with the transition. Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

U2 - 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.2086

DO - 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.2086

M3 - Meeting abstract

SN - 0924-9338

VL - 41

SP - S179-S180

JO - European Psychiatry

JF - European Psychiatry

IS - S1

M1 - EW0216

T2 - European Congress of Psychiatry (25th : 2017)

Y2 - 1 April 2017 through 4 April 2017

ER -

The impact of the transition from primary school to secondary school on young adolescents

Abstract

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